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Working the Beat (The Isabel Long Mystery Series Book 5) Kindle Edition

by Joan Livingston (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 223 ratings
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One mystery that leads to another…

Isabel Long stumbles into her next case at a country fair when she is approached by a woman whose grandson’s body was found there four years earlier.

Shirley Dawes took in Lucas Page after his mother had abandoned him, doing her best after failing to protect her own children from her late husband, a no-good abuser. Shirley’s clearly had a hard life although by what people say, she did a good job raising him.

But on a Saturday night, Lucas Page dies in a ravine behind the fair’s demotion derby, and nobody saw what happened. The official ruling was that he slipped and fell.

Once again, Isabel discovers herself drawn to help a desperate person.

When she’s not pouring beer at the Rooster Bar, Isabel is working the beat, a term from her many years as a journalist. That means following a story to the end — talking with the reliable sources she met in her other cases, uncovering secrets, and meeting people of interest, including a few unsavory characters who quickly become suspects. Plus, she can always count on the sage advice of Maria, her 93-year-old mother, her ‘Watson.’

Along the way Isabel finds compelling evidence that Lucas might have a connection to a string of break-ins in the hilltowns — yet another unsolved mystery. Was Lucas part of a ring of thieves? Or was he trying to do the right thing but died as a result of it?

Isabel soon has her hands full with case number five.

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  1. Book 5 of 7
    The Isabel Long Mystery Series
  2. Print length
    255 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  5. Publication date
    January 27, 2022
  6. File size
    3624 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  10. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Joan Livingston at her best. An ingenious plot featuring the unexplained death of a young man at a country fair. It's always a joy to follow this canny, quick-witted, and unconventional detective through her investigations but this case looked especially hard to crack — until it all fell into place. Masterful! Can't wait for the next one."
—Katharine Johnson, author of The Suspects, The Secret, and The Silence

With a narrative written from Isabel's point of view, Joan Livingston puts the reader right at the heart of the action. The plot and the dialogue have an immediacy that reels you in from the outset. The twists and turns keep coming as the investigation progresses and the author keeps you waiting until the very last few pages for the final resolution. A great read, with characters that live on the page and a story that keeps you gripped until the last word. Ms Livingston's books are cosy-crime writing at its best — don't miss out on this series.
—Angela Wren, author of the Jacques Forêt Mysteries

"Like the previous books in the series, a gripping plot, colorful characters, and a marvelous sense of place, grabbed my attention and held it to the very end.... I have to admit, I didn't guess who the culprit was until the very end because the author was very clever in laying false trails. If you're looking for an engaging mystery with quirky characters, lots of humor, and a twisty plot, you'll love Working the Beat."
— Penny Hampson, author of A Plethora of Phantoms and The Unquiet Spirit

"Working the Case by Joan Livingston has all the trappings and atmosphere of small town USA. Interesting characters. Secrets everyone seems to know or think they know. From the opening page to its last, one doesn't read as much as one lives and feels the story. This is my fourth book by Joan, and it won't be my last. I'm hooked!
—Joseph Lewis, author of Lives Trilogy, Caught in Web, Spiral into Darkness, Betrayed and Blaze In, Blaze Out

From the Author

I didn't know I would be writing a mystery series when I wrote the first, "Chasing the Case." But like my protagonist Isabel Long, a long-time journalist turned private investigator, I got hooked on solving cases. "Working the Beat" is number five in my Isabel Long Mystery Series. I found a setting that I love — a fictionalized version of rural Western Massachusetts — and characters that have become very real to me. And I'm pleased to say I've begun number six.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09KS52ZRL
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ darkstroke books (January 27, 2022)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 27, 2022
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 3624 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 255 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 223 ratings

About the author

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Joan Livingston

Joan Livingston

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Joan Livingston is the author of novels for adult and young readers, including the Isabel Long Mystery Series. Chasing the Case, Redneck's Revenge, Checking the Traps, Killing the Story, Working the Beat, Following the Lead, and Missing the Deadline, published by darkstroke books, are the seven books thus far in the series, featuring a longtime journalist who becomes an amateur P.I. solving cold cases in rural New England.

Joan draws upon her own experience as a longtime journalist in Massachusetts and New Mexico to create Isabel Long, a sassy, savvy widow who uses the skills she acquired in the business to solve what appears to be impossible cases. She also relies on her deep knowledge of rural Western Massachusetts, where she lives, to create realistic characters and settings.

She also relied on those insights while writing The Sacred Dog, Northern Comfort, and The Sweet Spot, all set in the fictional hilltowns of Western Mass.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
223 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Cute mystery
Reviewed in the United States on March 25, 2024
Verified Purchase
Loved the main character Isabel. There were so many suspects and yet she was able to weed through them and find the killer. So many twists and turns. Great read!
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Avid Reader
3.0 out of 5 stars Working the Beat
Reviewed in the United States on December 24, 2022
Verified Purchase
In this story, Isabel is investigating the death of a young man which happened a few years ago. The grandmother hired her to find out if it really was an accident as the authorities decided, or if there was something more in play. As she gets into the investigation, it seems as if the young man may have been involved in some burglaries, even though most of the people she talks with think he was a good young man.
This book ends on kind of a cliffhanger, but I won't buy the next book.
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Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Great
Reviewed in the United States on April 4, 2022
Verified Purchase
As usual no disappointments. Got to catch up with all the regular cast of characters in the small hilltop town as Isabel goes about solving another cold case. Fun to see how her relationship with Jack is going and again how the case unfolds.
One person found this helpful
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Teresa
5.0 out of 5 stars Exciting new adventure
Reviewed in the United States on January 28, 2022
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Readers meet many new residents of the Massachusetts Hill Towns while keeping up with many of the characters from the first four Isabel Long stories. Fast, easy read in a mystery with plenty of twists.
3 people found this helpful
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GEB
5.0 out of 5 stars this is a very good series of books by an area author.
Reviewed in the United States on August 30, 2022
Verified Purchase
I liked it all and I used it for reading for pleasure and relaxation.
One person found this helpful
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HSP
2.0 out of 5 stars Not up to the previous books
Reviewed in the United States on January 29, 2022
Verified Purchase
I really liked this author’s previous books, but this was a disappointment. Way too much tedious backstory about previous books/cases, made it hard to get through. It wasn’t needed, in my opinion. The actual story could have begun four or five chapters into the book.
7 people found this helpful
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Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Always a delight.
Reviewed in the United States on February 1, 2022
Verified Purchase
Isabel continues to develop her skills and integration into her community. She is fun living and unafraid to ask tough questions.
Working the Beat is another fun read as Livingston continues to world build.
Isabel's mother provides a pleasant ballast in this mystery series.
4 people found this helpful
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Joyce H
5.0 out of 5 stars Two Crimes for the Price of One
Reviewed in the United States on May 5, 2022
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Isabel has a knack for bringing out the best in people. Small town life in the hilltowns has been a real surprise to me. The interconnected and suspicious locals add so much character to these stories. I'm glad for the growing relationship between Isabel and Jack, while Ma is a treasure.
One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Legz
5.0 out of 5 stars Always enjoyable!
Reviewed in Canada on March 8, 2022
Verified Purchase
Ms. Livingston has a knack for fleshing out her characters and making you almost see them. Not the first Isabel book I've read, and hopefully not the last.
Great read!!!
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Angela
5.0 out of 5 stars Cosy-crime writing at its best - don't miss out on this series
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 28, 2022
Verified Purchase
This is book 5 in the Isabel Long Mystery series. Set in a small town in New England, this is very much an American story about life in a close-knit community where there is a murder mystery to solve.
As happened with the first book - which I read quite a while ago - I immediately felt an affinity with the central character, Isabel Long. She's a lady of a certain age with a mind of her own, a sense of humour and a determination to get to the bottom of whatever crime she has to solve. She is aided and abetted by her 93 year-old mother. As a pair of sleuths, they make an unusual but entertaining and highly intelligent partnership.
The case to be examined is an old one and well cold. But that doesn't daunt Isabel and her mum - perhaps that should be 'mom'. The action takes the reader to a country fair, a demolition derby and the homes or workplaces of various residents in the sleepy hilltowns and surrounding areas of Western Massachusetts. As Isabel interviews or talks to friends and neighbours, she carefully and meticulously puts together a compelling case for murder and solves a secondary crime in the process.
With a narrative written from Isabel's point of view, Ms Livingston puts the reader right at the heart of the action. The plot and the dialogue have an immediacy that reels you in from the outset. The twists and turns keep coming as the investigation progresses and the author keeps you waiting until the very last few pages for the final resolution.
A great read, with characters that live on the page and a story that keeps you gripped until the last word. Ms Livingston's books are cosy-crime writing at its best - don't miss out on this series.
One person found this helpful
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BerJean
4.0 out of 5 stars Quite the PI, Isabel is.
Reviewed in Canada on April 27, 2022
Verified Purchase
Isabel is determined to crack the case. A young man is killed. Was it an accident or murder?
Isabel is likable, characters are real like. I look forward to reading more from this author.
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Isabel Vidal
4.0 out of 5 stars Great read!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 10, 2022
Verified Purchase
Isabel and her elderly mom are fabulous detectives and so believable in their simplicity and honesty. Worth reading every book from the start to get acquainted with them and all those around them. HIGHLY recommended.
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Steph
5.0 out of 5 stars Cozy without the sugar.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 10, 2022
Verified Purchase
If you enjoy a cozy mystery that is not overly sweet, these books are for you. Brilliant twisty stories, quirky characters, and really well written. Love how Joan writes. Looking forward to the next instalment.
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