MoMoBookDiary

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About the book:

A Black Notice means one thing: unidentified human remains.
And this time, five skeletons lie interlocked in the darkness of a wartime pillbox.

Rowan Jackman and Marie Evans are the detectives who take on the toughest cases on the Lincolnshire fens. And trouble always comes in threes.

6 a.m. on a dark autumn morning. Retired detective Bob Ruston is about to feed the dog when the doorbell rings. The man on the doorstep has blood running down his cheek and a look of terror on his face. ‘Please! Let me in! They’re going to kill me!’

Bob sees a handcuff dangling from the man’s lacerated wrist.

Later that day, a stylishly dressed woman marches into Saltern-le-Fen police station demanding to see Detective Marie Evans. ‘I want you to find my husband.’

Then a homeowner clearing undergrowth in his back garden makes a horrifying discovery. The decomposing remains of five bodies tangled together in an old WW2 pillbox.

Detective Jackman asks Interpol to issue a Black Notice. But little is he prepared for the shocking results that come in . . .

Joy Ellis, Black Notice
Published 16 September 2025 by Joffe Books
You can find the book on Amazon and Goodreads

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Who is Joy Ellis?

It took until the early Eighties, but I did it. Sadly the recession wiped us out, and I embarked on a series of weird and wonderful jobs; the last one being a bookshop manager. Surrounded by books all day, getting to order whatever you liked, and being paid for it! Oh bliss!

And now I live in a village in the Lincolnshire Fens with my partner, Jacqueline, and three Springer spaniels and four little rescue, Breton spaniels. I had been writing mysteries for years but never had the time to take it seriously. Now I write full-time, and as my partner is a highly decorated retired police officer; my choice of genre is a no-brainer! I have an on-tap police and judicial consultant, who makes exceedingly good tea!

I have set my crime thrillers here in the misty fens because I sincerely love the remoteness and airy beauty of the marshlands. This area is steeped in superstitions and lends itself so well to murder!

I am lucky enough to be one of the amazing Joffe Books team of authors and am really enjoying being able to spend time doing what I love… writing!.

Discover more at www.joyellisbooks.com and on Facebook @joyellisbooks and Instagram @joyellisbooks

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My Review

Every time Joy Ellis releases a new Jackman and Evans book, I feel a rush of excitement that’s hard to put into words. This series has become such a favourite of mine that each instalment feels like a long-awaited reunion, and Black Notice (eleventh in the series) proves yet again why Joy Ellis is one of the best in the business.

From the very first page, I was hooked. Ellis throws us straight into the kind of tangled mysteries she does so brilliantly, and I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. She gives us threads that seem completely unconnected at first, yet I knew—because it’s Joy Ellis—that somehow they’d come together in the most jaw-dropping way. And she didn’t let me down. The reveals, the twists, the way everything clicks into place at just the right moment—it’s pure crime fiction magic.

But here’s the thing: it’s not just the cases that keep me coming back. It’s Jackman, Evans, and the rest of the team. Eleven books in, and they feel like old friends now. I love spending time with them. Their warmth, their humanity, and the way they pull together as a team – it balances out the darker, chilling side of the crimes and makes every story richer. That’s the secret ingredient Joy Ellis brings to her writing, and it’s why I never want these books to end.

The pacing is relentless. I was glued to my Kindle, completely lost in the story, whispering “just one more chapter” until suddenly it was 2am and I’d reached the end. And what an ending it was—tense, shocking, and absolutely worth the ride. Ellis knows exactly how to keep you guessing and how to deliver a finale that leaves you breathless and desperate for the next instalment.

I honestly can’t get enough of this series. Black Notice has everything I adore – twists that made me gasp out loud, characters I love spending time with, and that unmistakable Ellis atmosphere that grabs hold and doesn’t let go. Five stars feels like the bare minimum. This book is an event, a treat, a highlight of my reading year—and I cannot recommend it highly enough.

If you’re new to Joy Ellis, you’ve just found your next obsession. And if, like me, you’ve been here from the start, then you already know: Black Notice is another absolute triumph.

And finally… Having devoured every single Jackman and Evans book on audio (and let’s be honest, Richard Armitage’s narration is absolute perfection), this was the very first time I’ve read one on my Kindle instead. At first, it felt almost like I was cheating on the audiobook—but the story was so good it didn’t matter for a second.

Of course, nothing quite matches the magic of hearing these characters brought to life, which is why I’ve already preordered the audiobook. Release day—16th September—is officially cleared in my diary. I’ll be spending the whole day listening, immersing myself in the story all over again, this time with Richard Armitage reading every word to me. Honestly, I can’t think of a better way to celebrate Joy Ellis’s latest masterpiece.

See About My Reviews and Review FAQ for full star rating explanations and review guidelines.

This review may also appear on my social media channels and selected book platforms. All links were correct at the time of publication.

DISCLOSURE: I received an advance or review copy of this book. As always, my thoughts are honest and my own.
DISCLOSURE: I received a review copy of this book via NetGalley/Zooloo’s Book Tours. As always, my thoughts are honest and my own.
DISCLOSURE: I purchased this book myself. As always, my thoughts are honest and my own.

© [2026] [MoMoBookDiary]. This review is original content. Please credit and link back if you wish to quote.

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