Babe's Book Review of "BEWARE THE PAST" by Joy Ellis
Around here, my book reviews come dressed up with lipstick, rhinestone shine, and a whole lotta Southern twang. They’re a cocktail of sass, sparkle, and honest-to-goodness truth—served with a wink and maybe a little side-eye.
So pull up a chair, pour yourself a glass of sweet tea (or somethin’ a little stronger if the clock’s struck five), and settle in.
📚📚 BOOK REVIEW — BEWARE THE PAST 📚📚
By Joy Ellis
Well butter my biscuit and call me curious, y’all, because this book had me sittin’ up straighter than a preacher on Sunday mornin’!
This here’s the first book in Joy Ellis’s Detective Matt Ballard Series—five books in total, and let me tell you, sugar, after finishing this one I was already itchin’ for the next.
📚The Setup
Detective Matt Ballard ain’t no shiny new rookie. He’s a seasoned fella, starin’ down retirement with a head full of unsolved mysteries that won’t let him sleep. One case in particular—three young boys murdered out in the Lincolnshire fens back in his early days—still gnaws on him like a coonhound with a bone.
Wouldn’t ya know it? Just as Matt’s thinkin’ about hangin’ up his badge, those long-buried ghosts come scratchin’ at his door again. Except now the killer’s playin’ games, tauntin’ Matt with messages that hit close to home. Lord have mercy, the tension in this book is tighter than my mama’s girdle at a family reunion.
📚Reader Ride-Along (yeee-haawww)
From page one, you’re right there in the muck with Matt—mystery, murder, secrets thicker than Texas chili. Ellis doesn’t just hand you a puzzle; she drops you smack-dab in the middle of a storm where every shadow looks guilty. The fens themselves are like a character—dark, swampy, whisperin’ danger. You’ll feel the damp creep under your skin, darlin’.
And it ain’t just a police procedural—no ma’am, this is personal. Matt’s haunted past, his regrets, his relationships… it all tangles into the case like barbed wire. One minute you’re thinkin’ you’ve figured it out, and the next, Ellis jerks the rug out from under you so fast you’ll spill your sweet tea. That ending? Whew! My jaw dropped harder than a cow pattie off the back of a flatbed.
📚Recommendation
If you like your crime thrillers moody, twisty, and full of “I did not see that comin’!” moments, honey, you need to hitch your wagon to this series. Beware the Past is the perfect start—once you dive in, you’ll be gallopin’ straight into Book 2: Five Bloody Hearts before the ink on the last page dries.
📚About the Author
Joy Ellis hails from Kent, England—she’s worn a lotta hats in her day, from florist to bookshop boss, and now she’s sittin’ pretty as a bestselling crime writer with millions of books sold. Bless her heart, she knows how to spin a tale that’ll chill your bones and keep you up all night readin’.
You can mosey on over to her website here: www.joyellisbooks.com
Below is a little sampling of the rest of the series, not too much info here, just enough to make you want to grab some more - like just one more aag over easy in the mornin!
📚 Book 2: Five Bloody Hearts 📚
By Joy Ellis
Well darlin’, grab your pearls because this one’s bloodier than a butcher shop on sale day.
📚The Setup
Matt Ballard’s still lickin’ his wounds from the first book when BAM—here comes a new case nastier than a snake in a mailbox. Someone’s playin’ Cupid with a knife, and trust me, these love stories don’t end with roses and chocolate. Women are bein’ murdered in ways that’d make your hair curl tighter than a 1950s pin-up set.
And honey, the kicker? The killer seems to be sendin’ Matt personal little love notes. Ain’t that just the creepiest box o’ chocolates you ever did see?
📚Reader Ride-Along
Ellis cranks up the suspense with this one. It’s got obsession, revenge, and enough twists to make your high heels wobble. There’s more team interaction here, too—you get a closer look at Ballard’s crew and how deep they’re all willin’ to dig when the blood hits the water.
The atmosphere? Darker than a honky-tonk at closin’ time. The killer’s psychological games will have you side-eyein’ everyone.
📚Recommendation
If Beware the Past reeled you in, Five Bloody Hearts hooks ya good. This is where the series proves it ain’t just a one-hit wonder.
📚 Book 3: The Dying Light 📚
By Joy Ellis
Sugar, this one right here? Oooo it’ll chill your bones faster than a blue norther blowin’ through Dallas in December.
📚The Setup
The story dives headfirst into the shadows of the fens again—those marshlands are just drippin’ with secrets, I swear. A string of deaths that look like suicides start stackin’ up, but somethin’ about ‘em smells fishier than a catfish fry.
Matt Ballard knows when the pieces don’t add up, and honey, he ain’t wrong. Somebody’s out there puppeteerin’ lives, pushin’ folks to the edge, and it’s darker than midnight with no moon.
📚Reader Ride-Along
This book pulls at your heartstrings. It’s less about gore and more about psychological torment, grief, and human frailty. You’ll find yourself thinkin’ about how close we all are to our own breaking points. It ain’t just crime-solving—it’s a gut punch.
And the tension? Whew! Like sittin’ on a hot griddle waitin’ for the flip. Every chapter ends with you whisperin’ “just one more…” til suddenly it’s 2am.
Recommendation
If you want a thriller that’s as emotional as it is suspenseful, The Dying Light is your book. Pour yourself some strong coffee, darlin’—you ain’t puttin’ this one down easy.
📚 Book 4: Marshlight 📚
By Joy Ellis
Well, knock me down with a feather—this one’s like steppin’ straight into a Gothic ghost story with a crime twist.
📚The Setup
The marshes are back front and center, and they’re spookier than a haunted house at the county fair. Matt and his crew are pulled into a web of lies and manipulation when folks around town start whisperin’ about psychics, visions, and mysterious deaths.
Darlin’, there’s danger hidin’ in plain sight, and it’ll sneak up quicker than a rattler in the tall grass.
📚Reader Ride-Along
Ellis leans heavy on atmosphere here. The fens are described so vivid you’ll swear you smell the damp earth and hear somethin’ movin’ in the mist. It’s moody, eerie, and tugs at that little part of your brain that believes in things you can’t quite explain.
The mystery itself? Twisty as a pretzel. Just when you think you got a handle on it, Ellis slides another piece onto the board.
📚Recommendation
If you’re the kinda reader who loves goosebumps and foggy nights with a good scare tucked inside your crime stories, Marshlight will light you up.
📚 Book 5: Trick of the Night 📚
By Joy Ellis
Hold onto your cowboy hat, darlin’, ‘cause this finale’s slicker than an oil spill and twice as dangerous.
📚The Setup
The series wraps with a case that blurs the lines between illusion and reality. There’s a killer out there usin’ smoke, mirrors, and a whole lotta psychological trickery. It’s like bein’ stuck in a magic show where every trick ends with somebody dead.
Matt Ballard’s up against the clock, battlin’ his own demons while tryin’ to stop a murderer who’s always one step ahead.
📚Reader Ride-Along
This book feels like a victory lap with high stakes. You get the tension, the heart, and a bittersweet sense that the end is comin’. Ellis keeps your knuckles white right up to the last reveal. And baby, it’s a doozy.
📚Recommendation
Trick of the Night ties the whole series together with grit, fear, and just enough hope to make you sigh when you turn that final page. It’s the kind of ending that makes you want to hug the book when you’re done.
Now go and get moseying on over to her website here: www.joyellisbooks.com, then get your copy of these here good o’l books today, partner!
💋✨Until next time, keep loving & living your best life! 💋✨
🌸Wishing you Love, Light & Sparkles!
💎 💋 Carrie
#bookreview, #texasstyle, #goodreads
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