The Only Suspect [Hardcover]

Jonnie Jacobs (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

The author of series starring Kalie O'Brien and Kate Austen, Jacobs turns here to a suspenseful stand-alone. Set in the small town of Monte Vista, California, the story alternates points of view between Dr. Samuel Russell and police detective Hannah Montgomery. Russell's wife, Maureen, has disappeared, and he can't remember anything about the day and night preceding her disappearance. As a recovering alcoholic, he worries that he might have fallen off the wagon, with tragic results. Jacobs creates a high level of suspense as Hannah and Sam both investigate what might have occurred. Although Hannah's inclination is to trust Sam, the fact that his first wife was murdered and he was almost convicted of the crime does little to improve his credibility. A few chapters featuring retired detective Frank Donahue, who investigated the death of Sam's first wife, add more depth to the plot. Jacobs' outstanding character development--both leads are complexly flawed--lifts her story above the run-of-the-mill procedural. Highly entertaining and suspenseful, with an extra layer of depth. Jenny McLarin
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: Kensington; First Edition edition (October 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0758208006
• ISBN-13: 978-0758208002
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,539,647 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant new thriller, October 21, 2005

By 

David Montgomery "Book Critic" (davidjmontgomery.com) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Only Suspect (Hardcover)

Jonnie Jacobs' brilliant new thriller "The Only Suspect" is one of the most entertaining books you're likely to read this year.

The story opens with Dr. Sam Russell waking on the side of a deserted country road, with bruises on his face and blood under his fingernails. Battered and confused, he has no memory of how he got there.

Sam arrives home only to discover that his wife is missing. He reluctantly calls the police, looking for help. Dark events from his past resurface to haunt him, making him the only suspect.

The story builds in suspense to an almost painful level, as this kind and decent man (who might just be a vicious killer) is tortured by his loss and the possible role he could have played in it.

Jacobs is best known for her series of novels featuring lawyer Kali O'Brien. Now she moves to the head of the thriller class with this topnotch page-turner.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars nail-biting, page turning suspense, November 26, 2005

By 

major fan - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Only Suspect (Hardcover)

I have read every book Jonnie Jacobs has written, and this is one of her best yet. It is not a Kali or Kate book, but a stand-alone thriller, that kept me on the edge of my seat until I was finished. The characters were real people I felt I could root for, and the story was so suspenseful, I almost couldn't stand it! What I don't understand is why Jonnie Jacobs isn't high on the best seller list with books so well-written and involving. I am just sorry I will have to wait until her next book comes along.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Exciting but predictable, November 20, 2005

By 

L. J. Roberts (Oakland, CA, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Only Suspect (Hardcover)

Ms. Jacobs is a very good writer and I've enjoyed her other books. This book has an excellent premise; the innocent man who appears guilty. Unfortunately, it's offset by stereotypical characters; the overbearing male detective, the female detective who believes the suspect in spite of the evidence because she feels an attraction to him, the in-laws who never thought he was good enough for their daughter, the underachieving brother, etc. There were twists to the plot, but I found most of them predictable. It's fast paced book that would make a great airplane book, but I think she's written better.