After Jaq

After Jaq opens with the shocking discovery by family doctor, Kate, of the body of her long-lost friend, Jaq, in a pool of blood. Jaq's brutal murder rouses Kate's instincts as an ex-detective and she vows to solve the mystery of why her friend was killed. She is convinced that a final cryptic text from Jaq is a vital clue to the crime. Kate's search for more clues begins as a slow-burn thriller while she overcomes her emotions. But the pace quickens as Kate digs into the past of her wayward friend and comes up against the world of corruption that Jaq fought against. 

Set at festival time in 2009, the main protagonist, Kate, is about to start a new job as a GP (family doctor) in Brighton and Hove where she was to share Jaq's flat. Her friend's death deprives Kate of a longed-for reconciliation and leaves her, a woman alone in an unfamiliar city. She takes heart when she finds the Senior Investigating Officer into Jaq's murder is Mike, a former colleague. They are attracted to each other and start an affair. Kate becomes disillusioned when Mike repeatedly undermines her ideas about Jaq's death. When Kate ignores his advice not to get involved, Mike explodes with anger and accuses Kate of meddling.

Shaken by the violence of his reaction, Kate is suspicious about the way he is handling the case. She digs deeper and discovers disturbing secrets about Mike that she must unravel to solve the mystery behind Jaq's death. But this is exactly what Mike intends to prevent.....

Kate's determination to succeed draws her into a world she thought she had left behind for good. But this time the stakes are high, with her own safety on the line.