
Beware the Past
Audible Audiobook
– Unabridged
Amazon Price | New from | Used from |
Audible Audiobook, Unabridged
"Please retry" |
$0.00
| Free with your Audible trial |
Audio CD, Audiobook, MP3 Audio, Unabridged
"Please retry" | $55.20 | $138.00 |
- Kindle
$0.00 This title and over 1 million more available with Kindle Unlimited $1.49 to buy -
Audiobook
$0.00 Free with your Audible trial - Paperback
$21.55 - Audio CD
$55.20
One terrible case always haunted detective Matt Ballard. Now many years later, the killer seems to be back. And this time he's after Matt.
When Matt Ballard was starting out his career, three boys were murdered in the same area, the remote and bleak Gibbet Fen. When the main suspect was killed in a hit-and-run, the killings stopped. But Matt was not satisfied that the real murderer had been caught.
Over 25 years later, Matt gets a photo in an unmarked envelope. It's of the Gibbet Fen crime scene. And the picture was taken before the murder took place. More photos arrive, relating to the historic murders, as well as intimate pictures of Matt's very secret private life.
Then another murder happens, with some of the hallmarks of the old case. Has the killer returned, or is this just a sick copycat determined to ruin Matt's life and reputation?
- Listening Length11 hours and 3 minutes
- Audible release date31 May 2018
- LanguageEnglish
- ASINB07D2JW8ZT
- VersionUnabridged
- Program TypeAudiobook
Read & Listen
Switch back and forth between reading the Kindle book and listening to Audible audiobook.Add the audiobook for a reduced price of $2.99 after you get the Kindle book as part of your Kindle Unlimited subscription.
- Get this audiobook free then 1 credit each month, good for any title you like - yours to keep, even if you cancel
- Listen all you want to the Plus Catalogue—a selection of thousands of Audible Originals, audiobooks and podcasts, including exclusive series
- Exclusive member-only deals
- $16.45 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime
People who viewed this also viewed
- Audible Audiobook
- Audible Audiobook
- Audible Audiobook
- Audible Audiobook
- Audible Audiobook
Product details
Listening Length | 11 hours and 3 minutes |
---|---|
Author | Joy Ellis |
Narrator | Antony Ferguson |
Whispersync for Voice | Ready |
Audible.com.au Release Date | 31 May 2018 |
Publisher | Tantor Audio |
Program Type | Audiobook |
Version | Unabridged |
Language | English |
ASIN | B07D2JW8ZT |
Best Sellers Rank | 3,017 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals) 85 in Police Procedural Mysteries 555 in Police Procedurals (Books) |
Customer reviews
Top reviews from Australia
There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.
In ‘Beware the Past’ DCI Matt Ballard is approaching retirement and is still haunted by one case 25 years ago where three boys were brutally murdered in the remote Gibbet Fen. The killings stopped when the suspect was killed in a hit and run however Ballard was never certain that the suspect was guilty and now the nightmare begins again...
Ballard receives a large brown envelope containing the picture of the very last victim ...at the time of his death. More photos are received ...some were sent to his team. All are photos are of the three boys murdered all those years ago.
And then another boy is taken and killed. Is the murderer the same from before ... or is this a copy cat killer? How did he get these photos? What does he want with Ballard?
The book is haunting and disturbing in places however as a well written fast-paced crime thriller it really jumps off the page. I definitely was not disappointed with this stand alone book...
The writing draws you in so much that i was going to stop after a couple of chapters. But I continued and the investigation develops into a war of nerves. There are many reveals and twists and turns that will keep you enthralled.
There are a couple of frustrations and i do not like child abuse as a subject.
The only reason I didn't allocate a full 5 stars was the unfortunate use of language that crept in from time to time. Unnecessary. It jarred.
Top reviews from other countries

The characters were believable but I didn’t really care about them or their fate, beyond wanting the good guys to win and the bad guys to lose. Usually, I’m a fan of the detective tormented by their past, but here, I felt nothing towards Matt’s turmoil. The characters weren’t over-written, they just didn’t standout, thus the emphasis was the mystery. Ellis writes in a fluid way that means you can breeze through this novel despite the dark content; the chapters are short which allows you to sneak in another, and another, and another, till you decide you might as well go ahead and just finish the book.
The ending to Beware the Past was good, but predictable. It was due to the blurb – “an absolutely breathtaking conclusion” – and the tagline – “…with a huge twist” – that I figured out the ending, this isn’t a spoiler but those phrases made me think of the most outrageous, yet possible ending, and alas that was the ending. As you can see, the phrases give nothing away but I guess, once you read so many crime books, with some of the more straight-forward plots, you’re able to figure it out. There was some originality in the ending that I appreciated, and I think it would work well played out on the screen.
This was my first novel by Ellis and I would certainly read more from her in the future. Beware the Past is a good novel, well-written, but not one I would rush to recommend because I couldn’t connect with the characters and I guessed the ending. However, my favourite thing about this novel, it’s ‘old-school’ vibe.

Matt had as a young officer, been traumatised by the sadistic death of an eleven year old boy and he seemed incapable of shaking it off. The discovery of the murder of another young boy brings it all back to him, and at the same time he and his colleagues receive envelopes with photos which reflect things only known to the killer or someone who knew so much about Matts personal life.
By now you are so drawn into the series of events that it hard to put the book down and you are kept engrossed until the final paragraphs. Would certainly recommend and now download more of Joy Ellis’ books on kindle.


Have i been reading a different book to all those 5 star reviewers?
