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JJ Marsh
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Behind Closed Doors: A Compelling British Crime Novel (The Beatrice Stubbs Series Book 1) Kindle Edition

by JJ Marsh (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.1 out of 5 stars 991 ratings
Did their conscience get to them? Or did someone else?

An unethical banker suffocates. A diamond dealer slits his wrists. A media magnate freezes in the snow. A disgraced CEO inhales exhaust fumes.

Four unpopular businessmen, four apparent suicides. Until Interpol find the same DNA at each death.

Beatrice Stubbs, on her first case since a personal tragedy, arrives in Switzerland to lead the investigation. But there's more to Zurich than chocolate and charm.

Potential suspects are everywhere, her Swiss counterpart is hostile and the secretive world of international finance seems beyond the law. Battling impossible odds by day and her own demons at night, Beatrice has never felt so alone.

She isn't. Someone's watching.
Someone else who believes in justice.
The poetic kind.

Discover a modern-day Marple in this riveting crime series set against breathtaking European locations.

If you enjoy Kate Atkinson, Elizabeth George and Louise Penny, you'll love Behind Closed Doors.



"Wow. Wow, wow, wow. This is a GREAT book." - Sheila Bugler, author of Hunting Shadows

"Behind Closed Doors crackles with human interest, intrigue and atmosphere. Beatrice and her team go all out to see justice is done. And author JJ Marsh does more than justice to the intelligent heroine who leads this exciting and absorbing chase." - Libris Reviews

"I hate giving five star reviews because they should go only to the very best books - five stars should mean 'This is a superlative read and there are very few like it'. Well, this is a superlative read and there are very few like it. 5*." - The Bagster, Amazon reviewer



Discover Beatrice Stubbs - detective inspector, metaphor mixer and stubborn survivor:
1. Behind Closed Doors (Switzerland)
2. Raw Material (England/Wales)
3. Tread Softly (Basque County, Spain)
4. Cold Pressed (The Greek Islands)
5. Human Rites (Germany)
6. Bad Apples (Portugal)
7. Snow Angel (England)
8. Honey Trap (Italy)
9. Black Widow (France)
10. White Night (Finland)
11. The Woman in the Frame (Mallorca)
12. All Souls' Day (Belgium)
13. True Colours (Sweden)
14. Siren Song (Spain)
Plus the exclusive free prequel for newsletter subscribers: Black Dogs, Yellow Butterflies (London)
Read more
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  1. Book 1 of 14
    The Beatrice Stubbs Series
  2. Print length
    314 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Accessibility
    Learn more
  5. Publication date
    December 14, 2013
  6. File size
    1.2 MB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Shop this series

 See full series
There are 14 books in this series.

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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Hooked from the start and couldn't put this down. Superb, accomplished and intelligent writing. Ingenious plotting paying as much attention to detail as the killer must. Beatrice and her team are well-drawn, all individuals, involving and credible" - Books Review Plus "Behind Closed Doors is a fast-paced, clever Eurocrime thriller that has kept me up late at night and made me late for appointments in the 48 hours it took me to devour it. The writing's effortless and stylish, and the plot - it revolves around a series of gruesome suicides that are really murders - is hooky and twisty. I loved it. The main character, Beatrice Stubbs, is a cool combination of vulnerable and stubbornly independent, and her kooky team of Interpol draftees from across Europe are very believable. Recommended!" - Amazon Reviewer "I hate giving five star reviews because they should go only to the very best books - five stars should mean "This is a superlative read and there are very few like it". Well, this is a superlative read and there are very few like it. 5*." - Amazon Reviewer

About the Author

JJ Marsh is the author of The Beatrice Stubbs series, featured in The Guardian Readers' Recommend and The Bookseller's Editor's Choice - Founder member of Triskele Books, an award-winning author collective founded in 2011. In addition to publishing 21 books, Triskele creates initiatives to support other writers, eg Triskele LitFest and The Big5 Competition. - Swiss Ambassador for The Alliance of Independent Authors - Co-editor of The Woolf, Zürich's literary ezine and writers' workshop - Journalist for Words with JAM, the magazine for writers. - Reviewer for Bookmuse, the readers' site with a difference.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B007V512A4
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Prewett Bielmann Ltd.
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ December 14, 2013
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.2 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 314 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-3952397015
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Book 1 of 14 ‏ : ‎ The Beatrice Stubbs Series
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.1 out of 5 stars 991 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
JJ Marsh

JJ Marsh

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Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

JJ Marsh is the author of The Beatrice Stubbs series, featured in The Guardian Readers’ Recommend and The Bookseller’s Editor’s Choice

Jill is:

• A founder member of Triskele Books, an award-winning author collective founded in 2011

• Swiss Ambassador for The Alliance of Independent Authors

• Co-editor of The Woolf, Zürich’s literary ezine and writers’ workshop

• Reviewer for Bookmuse, the readers’ site with a difference

She lives in Switzerland with her husband and three pugs, and in an attic overlooking a cemetery, she writes.

Join Jill's Newsletter to get:

* Exclusive prequel to the Beatrice Stubbs series - FREE

* New releases

* Cover reveals and sneak peeks

* Giveaways

* Background information & research trip reports

To sign up, copy and paste this into your browser's address bar: jjmarshauthor.com

Other places to connect with Jill:

Facebook: facebook.com/jjmarshauthor

Customer reviews

4.1 out of 5 stars
991 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book well-written and engaging, with an intriguing plot that keeps them guessing until the end. They appreciate the character development, particularly the engaging Beatrice Stubbs character. The pacing receives mixed reactions, with several customers noting it's slow-paced.

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ReadabilitySuspenseful plotCharacter developmentPace
29 customers mention "Readability"26 positive3 negative

Customers find the book enjoyable and well-written, describing it as a quick read with a story that develops into something worth reading, making it the first book in an excellent series.

"...Great characters, good plots, throughly enjoyable storytelling. Highly recommend!" Read more

"...The plot of "Behind Closed Doors" is thoughtfully laid and there are enough red herrings and a really interesting twist to keep even jaded..." Read more

"Nicely written. Main character like ale. BUT not a great police procedural...." Read more

"A different take on the serial killer genre and a very satisfying read...." Read more

26 customers mention "Suspenseful plot"24 positive2 negative

Customers enjoy the suspenseful plot of the book, describing it as a psychological thriller that keeps readers guessing until the end.

"...Great characters, good plots, throughly enjoyable storytelling. Highly recommend!" Read more

"...is thoughtfully laid and there are enough red herrings and a really interesting twist to keep even jaded mystery novel readers guessing as to the..." Read more

"...behind a series of supposed suicides, which are, in fact, carefully crafted murders - each one designed to fit the `crime' for which the killer has..." Read more

"A different take on the serial killer genre and a very satisfying read...." Read more

13 customers mention "Character development"13 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book, particularly noting Beatrice as an engaging lead detective, with one customer describing her as quirky.

"...Great characters, good plots, throughly enjoyable storytelling. Highly recommend!" Read more

"...Author JJ Marsh has created an intriguing character in Beatrice Stubbs: A woman detective in what is still essentially a man's world, she finds..." Read more

"Nicely written. Main character like ale. BUT not a great police procedural...." Read more

"...I enjoy Beatrice as a character and the setting was lovely. Definitely will be reading more in this series." Read more

5 customers mention "Pace"3 positive2 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the book's pace, with several finding it slow.

"...The story begins in Europe and takes no time at all to get the reader involved with the main character, Beatrice Stubbs...." Read more

"SLOW SDTARTER.BUT FASCINATION SOON AFTER." Read more

"I enjoyed reading this book. It was a nice thriller with an even pace that kept me intrested and turning the pages...." Read more

"Too much dialogue among the central characters. Slow paced." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Susan M. Macy
    5.0 out of 5 stars Totally hooked
    Reviewed in the United States on May 24, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    I was searching for a new series to read, preferably a good British mystery with a likable detective. Somehow I stumbled upon Beatrice and her circle and was instantly hooked. Great characters, good plots, throughly enjoyable storytelling. Highly recommend!
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  • Mike Billington author of Murder in the Rainy Season
    4.0 out of 5 stars "Behind Closed Doors" is a good read for fans of international detective stories
    Reviewed in the United States on April 10, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    Beatrice Stubbs is an English police detective of a certain age who is recovering from a suicide attempt caused by a mental illness that she has suffered from since childhood. During her recovery she has been on the back burner for a year, shuffling paper and being involved in low-profile work. That's about to change because her boss thinks she's once again ready for something much more challenging.
    New evidence has surfaced that leads INTERPOL to believe the apparent suicides over a period of years of some incredibly rich, but highly unethical, businessmen were actually clever homicides. Stubbs is asked to lead an international team put together for the purpose of finding out if the deaths were murder and, despite her own history, she accepts because she knows this might be her last chance to restore her career.
    Author JJ Marsh has created an intriguing character in Beatrice Stubbs: A woman detective in what is still essentially a man's world, she finds herself in Switzerland heading up a team of younger and sometimes overly enthusiastic colleagues. Not overly confident, haunted by her illness and her past, her task is not made any easier by the fact that the first inkling the suicides might actually be homicides was uncovered by a Swiss detective who feels the case was unfairly snatched away from him. Contending with her younger international colleagues would be difficult enough without the Swiss detective's animosity; with it, her job seems almost impossible. Add to that the usual interference from higher-ups who are watching expenditures with an eagle eye and who can't resist the opportunity to meddle and making progress on the investigation approaches the miraculous.
    The plot of "Behind Closed Doors" is thoughtfully laid and there are enough red herrings and a really interesting twist to keep even jaded mystery novel readers guessing as to the motive behind the killings if, indeed, the deaths are not suicides.
    The narrative is interesting in that it bounces between the present-day investigation to flashbacks before returning to the detectives who are trying to piece together the puzzle. Her characters are well drawn and her descriptions of Switzerland are so complete that they are almost a travel guide. Marsh has a direct style of writing that suits the tenor and tone of this novel. If I have a quibble with this story it is with the occasional side trips she makes into the off-duty lives of her secondary characters: She does try to tie these together with breakthroughs in the case but, for me, it didn't quite work as well as it might have done.
    That aside, I enjoyed this mystery and plan to read more Beatrice Stubbs books (there are several in the series) in the future. I have no trouble recommending it to fans of international detective stories.
    15 people found this helpful
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  • ShadowJolie
    3.0 out of 5 stars Not a great mystery
    Reviewed in the United States on February 20, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    Nicely written. Main character like ale. BUT not a great police procedural. Some of e main characters more interested in picnics, sight seeing and nabbing girls. So disappointed. Three stars is probably one too many. Too many hints on the murderer that they pass up. They go for coffee and don’t think about the case🤦🏻‍♀️
    Helpful
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  • Avid Reader
    5.0 out of 5 stars One to keep and read again
    Reviewed in the United States on June 14, 2012
    Verified Purchase
    Behind Closed Doors introduces us to a new detective - one that I hope is going to feature again and again in future books. Beatrice Stubbs came to life for me in a way few fictional characters do. She irritated me at times, but not because she wasn't well written, quite the opposite in fact. She annoyed me in exactly the same way a close friend would. I wanted to yell at her when she did something I considered dumb, hug her when she felt down and cheer her on when she got things right. In other words, J J Marsh has created a living, breathing person with whom readers can identify.

    The plot is well crafted and original. DI Stubbs has been seconded to Zurich to uncover the truth behind a series of supposed suicides, which are, in fact, carefully crafted murders - each one designed to fit the `crime' for which the killer has deemed the victims guilty.

    We know fairly early on who is orchestrating everything, but not how or why, and it is this need to know which keeps the reader turning pages.

    Behind Closed Doors straddles the boundary between literary fiction and crime writing, but it sits comfortably in both camps. It is, quite simply, a very well constructed crime novel written by an author in total control of her material.

    I can't wait for the next Beatrice Stubbs novel. My only concern is that the author has set the bar so high this is going to be a hard act to follow.
    7 people found this helpful
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  • C_S
    4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting serial killer plot and lovely setting
    Reviewed in the United States on November 5, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    A different take on the serial killer genre and a very satisfying read. Beatrice Stubbs, a detective with the London Met, is returning to work following a suicide attempt. She is asked to join a multi-country team based on Zurich who are investigating a series of murders committed across multiple countries to determine whether an international serial killer is at work. The head of the local force in Zurich is not particularly enthusiastic, but soon they are identifying more cases across Europe. I enjoy Beatrice as a character and the setting was lovely. Definitely will be reading more in this series.
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  • MNPeach
    5.0 out of 5 stars First book in an excellent series
    Reviewed in the United States on January 26, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    This is a new series (new to me, anyway) that has already stimulated me to follow up with additional books. I like the main characters very much and I have enjoyed the diversity of the settings and ancillary characters. Most of all, I think, I am happy to have found a series set in the present day that includes pleasing descriptive and conversational language, with the exception of Beatrice's malapropisms.
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Plain Jane
    5.0 out of 5 stars Clever and intriguing crime story
    Reviewed in Spain on October 29, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    An interesting, unusual crime story set in Zurich. A clever plot and writing thatmkept me reading late into the night. Recommended crime fiction.
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  • carla fellows
    5.0 out of 5 stars Behind closed doors
    Reviewed in Canada on December 5, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    A very good murder mystery. Kept me guessing as to who done it! Well worth a read. Looking forward to reading the next in the series
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  • Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars SO MUCH MORE THAN JUST A THRILLER!
    Reviewed in Germany on May 28, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    Behind Closed Doors was an absolutely fantastic read. I couldn’t put this book down, and boy, was I hungry afterwards (literally)!

    Behind Closed Doors provided a much needed, fresh approach to the genre. Unlike most thrillers which prioritize clichéd plot tricks and never-ending action, this book keeps you hooked as it explores not only a series of murderers but also the real work behind catching a killer. The real work is not what you see in most thrillers or in Hollywood movies, and such real approach also allows the book to showcase beautiful sceneries and amazing food! It’s a really unique and amazing trip.

    It’s not often that you find thrillers that keep you hooked to the end, but also end up giving you a lot more than what’s expected in the genre. If anything, Behind Closed Doors is a box full of delightful surprises. It will make you crave for a trip around Europe, some good wine, and perhaps, a cheese fondue.

    The characters are believable and relatable, with extra kudos to Beatrice Stubbs, who has become one of my favorite characters of all time. Real people are flawed and so is Beatrice, which makes her incredibly layered. Also, the villain is cold, evil, and so well built! She made me cringe a number of times.

    I absolutely enjoyed following Beatrice in her Swiss journey. Can’t wait to read the next installment!
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  • Judyrinsydney
    5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Read
    Reviewed in Australia on September 3, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    I was engrossed, so powered through this book, and have downloaded the next in the series. Great characters I want to get to know more about.
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  • SheilaB
    5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful stuff
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 5, 2012
    Verified Purchase
    Wow. Wow, wow, wow. This is a GREAT book. I adore crime fiction and it is a joy to find a writer with something so fresh to add to the genre. Because this is a literary novel, as well as a cracking crime story. The main character, Beatrice Stubbs is just the best addition to the list of great sleuths - she's right up there with Morse, Zen, Poirot, Marple and Robicheaux. She's a proper, fully-rounded, realistic, flawed, interesting person. She is, possibly, the most interesting detective to emerge from the genre in many years.
    Crime fiction doesn't succeed on plot alone. Many writers make the mistake of putting plot above character. In fact, the best crime fiction - think writers like Dibdin, the ever-brilliant Robert Edric, James Lee Burke and Chandler - is that which puts characters first. And this is what JJ Marsh has done. That's not to say the plot is insubstantial, far from it. It's a cracking plot and, like almost everything else in this brilliant book, utterly original.
    However, it wasn't the plot that did it for me. It's Beatrice Stubbs - the most original and captivating character I've come across in ANY genre for a long time. If this novel isn't the first in a series I will personally seek out JJ Marsh and, in true Annie Wilkes fashion, force her to write more Beatrice just for me.
    I really recommend this literary, clever and accomplished novel to all fans of high-quality crime fiction.
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