‘Gone To Earth’ by Jane Jesmond

Published by Verve Books,
23 January 2025.
ISBN: 978-0-85730-871-9 (PBO)

Daredevil climber Jen Shaw is still reeling from events in Calais, where she and her undercover lover, Nick, rescued two girls from people-traffickers. However, the gang is still intact, and now they’re after her...

This was a rattling good yarn. It was narrated throughout by Jen, a wonderfully complex character with her own demons to fight, but who’s determined, quick-thinking and resourceful. I also enjoyed her hippy mother, Morwenna, and felt for the two rescued children.

The opening Cornwall sequence was vividly described. Most of the book was set in Glasgow, and there was a wonderful sense of place, particularly the atmosphere of the underground tunnels used in the page-turning climactic episode. The plotting was clever, with unexpected twists that kept me reading on – once I’d started, I didn’t want to put the novel down.

A cleverly-plotted, fast moving undercover agent thriller with real-feeling characters and a moving finish. This is the third in a trilogy, and though it can be read as a standalone, I’d recommend starting with On the Edge. I enjoyed Gone to Earth so much that I went straight onto Amazon to order On the Edge and the sequel Cut Adrift.
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Reviewer: Marsali Taylor

Jane Jesmond was born in Newcastle Upon Tyne, although she was raised on Liverpool, and considers herself northern through and through.   On The Edge is Jane's debut novel and the first in a series featuring dynamic, daredevil protagonist Jen Shaw. Jane's family comes from Cornwall, and her lifelong love of the Cornish landscape and culture inspired the setting of On The Edge. Jane has spent the last thirty years living and working in France. She began writing steadily six or seven years ago and writes every morning in between staring out at the sea and making cups of tea.  

http://jane-jesmond.com 

Marsali Taylor grew up near Edinburgh and came to Shetland as a newly qualified teacher. Marsali is a qualified STGA tourist-guide who is fascinated by history, and has published plays in Shetland's distinctive dialect, as well as a history of women's suffrage in Shetland. She's also a keen sailor who enjoys exploring in her own 8m yacht, and an active member of her local drama group.  She lives with her husband and two Shetland ponies.  

www.marsalitaylor.co.uk