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Jack of All Trades Kindle Edition

4.0 out of 5 stars 3,997 ratings

A dream job becomes a tale of money, love and murder for Jack, a builder, who gets a job repairing the summerhouse of a millionaire couple. Except the couple are at war, both having affairs, their marriage beyond salvage. The husband fires Jack, but she takes him back on, complicated further when he falls for her secretary. And when there’s a murder, using his tools as the weapon, Jack is prime suspect.

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There are 15 books in this series.

In this series (15 books)

Kindle Edition

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B015WEMY84
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Earlham Books
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ 26 Sept. 2015
  • Edition ‏ : ‎ 1st
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.2 MB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 247 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1909804128
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Book 1 of 15 ‏ : ‎ Jack of All Trades
  • Customer reviews:
    4.0 out of 5 stars 3,997 ratings

About the author

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Derek Smith
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I write as Derek Smith and as DH Smith. DH Smith is for my Jack of All Trades crime series featuring a builder, Jack Bell. Twelve have been published so far, beginning with the eponymous Jack of All Trades. Jack lives in the Eastend of London, where I live, and makes a precarious living. On each job there’s at least one murder. It’s surprising he gets any work at all. He’s always short of cash, a failed marriage behind him, and hopefully his alcoholic days. He has a daughter, Mia who is ten years old in the first book. There's two boxsets covering the whole series, the first covers 1 to 6 and the second 7 -12. Both available in the KU library.

I have been writing for over 30 years, beginning with plays. I had them performed on radio, TV and theatre. After working in a community bookshop in Stratford I began to write children's books as Derek Smith. Hard Cash was read on radio by Tony Robinson, Frances Fairweather Demon Striker! was shortlisted for the Children's Book Award, both published by Faber. The Good Wolf won the David Thomas Prize, and Lucy-Anne's Changing Ways was the only self published book listed in The Book Trusts 100 Best Children's Books.

As a young man I was an athlete, and some of this experience has gone into Fast Food where a boy with magic shoes runs as a giant peanut in the London Marathon. I regard this as a crossover book and am sure it will be enjoyed by adults as well as older children. I have also written two fantasies for adults: Hell's Chimney and The Prince's Shadow, which I describe as fantasy/thriller/romances.

These days, I am concentrating on my Jack of All Trades crime series. Find out more about them, me and my writing on my website: www.dereksmithwriter.com.

Customer reviews

4 out of 5 stars
3,997 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this book to be a pleasant light read with an interesting storyline that holds interest throughout, featuring great twists and turns. The characters are multi-dimensional and well-written, and one customer notes the book is set in Essex and East London. The book maintains a good pace.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

189 customers mention ‘Readability’176 positive13 negative

Customers find the book pleasant and easy to read, with one mentioning it's a good holiday read.

"...Thrilling read from start to finish and I would highly recommend this book to anyone. INFO..." Read more

"...Implausible characters and storyline yet a lightweight read that doesn't tax the brain. The character of Jack is just not believable...." Read more

"...Mr Smith is a really clever writer, offering something new so often in the book that it never gets dull, and his main character, Jack, is no..." Read more

"...The characters are quite simple and easy to imagine. The plot was good and I didn't see the murderer until quite near the end...." Read more

104 customers mention ‘Storyline’91 positive13 negative

Customers find the book's storyline engaging, with interesting twists and turns that keep them interested throughout, and one customer notes that the narrative remains coherent in its time-space-facts presentation.

"...There are plots, sub plots and all kinds of shennanigans to keep you interested from start to finish...." Read more

"...involved with them and the settings are very life-like which makes it very believable but you get the impression the murder is really only..." Read more

"This is a B movie of a book. Implausible characters and storyline yet a lightweight read that doesn't tax the brain...." Read more

"...that it never gets dull, and his main character, Jack, is no conventional detective - just a decent but flawed character who happens to be a builder...." Read more

64 customers mention ‘Character development’57 positive7 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book, noting that each character is multi-dimensional and well-written, with one customer highlighting the good banter between them.

"...The characters are superb and you get to know everything about them - so much so it's as though they are real people...." Read more

"...It takes time to build up the characters and get you involved with them and the settings are very life-like which makes it very believable but you..." Read more

"This is a B movie of a book. Implausible characters and storyline yet a lightweight read that doesn't tax the brain...." Read more

"I really enjoyed reading this book. The characters are quite simple and easy to imagine...." Read more

8 customers mention ‘Based on location’8 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's setting, with one mentioning it is set in and around East London, while another notes how familiar the locations are to them.

"...caught my eye because I grew up in Forest Gate, so the locations are familiar to me. I've only read this one, and have already bought the second...." Read more

"...I think the decision to set it in a real place makes a big difference and helps the story be realistic - I suppose many of us may be familiar with..." Read more

"Loved this book from the start as I can relate to every location, having been born in Forest Gate & grown up in Leyton...." Read more

"Really enjoyed this book, it is set in and around East London including Forest Gate where I live so it was lovely to feel so familiar with it...." Read more

8 customers mention ‘Pace’8 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's pace.

"I really enjoyed this book. It was well written,fast paced and a great twist at the end...." Read more

"Good for everyone, interesting characters and a good pace, kept me entertained throughout...." Read more

"...Interesting characters, almost everyday,with a nice pace to it." Read more

"Kept the pace up through out the book. Believable characters with lots of fun along the way. Can't wait for next book!" Read more

Top reviews from United Kingdom

  • Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 13 November 2016
    I was just recently given a kindle as a birthday present and decided to start using it instead of blasting my ears out with music everyday on my way to work.
    This was one of my first purchases / downloads from the kindle store and it has lived up to my expectations.
    The writing was fantastic and had me hooked from the first page.
    The characters are superb and you get to know everything about them - so much so it's as though they are real people.
    There are plots, sub plots and all kinds of shennanigans to keep you interested from start to finish.
    Very hard to put this book down and I will definitely be buying the paperback version as a way of a thank you.
    Thrilling read from start to finish and I would highly recommend this book to anyone.

    INFO

    The world's longest poem written in the English language, entitled 'Maz'zaroth’, has now been published. Consisting of 367,000 words within 10,200 quatrains and including 137 colour illustrations it is more than just a poem. Maz’zaroth is a serious and controversial historical account of the world which suggests that mankind has not only been deliberately placed on the Earth but has over the millennia been affected by a series of extra-terrestrial intelligences, the knowledge of which has been suppressed by a number of world governments from the public domain. The author of the work remains anonymous.
    Maz'zaroth re-writes the Bible in its entirety and in chronological order including the forbidden Gnostic gospels that were never included by the Church- a literary first. It shows how, within the Bible, many of the documented events actually portray a series of extra-terrestrial visitations. This however is merely the beginning of our history that develops through religion with the coming of Islam (of which the entire Qu’ran is included in Maz’zaroth), the wars fought between Islam and Christianity and the 'Secret Societies' that developed in the Middle Ages that have had profound effects, even today, in our everyday lives.
    Maz'zaroth goes further and in detail describes how the Catholic Church in Europe decided to become a controlling power and how it was eventually unsuccessful in its battle with the 'Secret Societies' who regained their power over the church through banking. One can learn how these 'Secret Societies' have organised a clandestine government behind our visible governments and have been involved in some of the greatest atrocities upon the Earth, cleverly hiding their own tracks through the creation of organisations and committees such as The Bilderberg Group, The Trilateral Commission, The Committee of 300, The Council of Foreign Relations to name but a few mentioned in Maz'zaroth.
    It was John F. Kennedy who in 1961 warned the American people of the ultimate aim of these 'Secret Societies' that have been hundreds of years in the making. Members include many prominent politicians, business leaders, members of royal families and military leaders that have created and put in place 'a system' which many refer to as 'The New World Order'. Maz’zaroth demonstrates how the term 'Conspiracy Theory' is conveniently used by these 'Secret Societies' to deflect any blame or wrongdoing from themselves and how they are gradually controlling the world labour market through 'Globalisation'.
    Maz’zaroth shows how even recent events in world history can all be attributed to the same 'Secret Societies', such as the dropping of the Hiroshima bomb, the assassination of prominent politicians such as President John F. Kennedy, First US Secretary of Defense James Forrestal and other world figures, the cover-up of the UFO phenomenon, the governmental approval of smuggling narcotics into western society, the theft of natural resources from the under-developed regions of the world to the developed world, the instigation of wars in the Gulf region through the creation of a false enemy in Al Qaeda to generate fear in the public as an excuse to go to war for the purposes of generating profit from war, reconstruction and natural resources, the creation of debt to control the labour market through the printing of money backed by nothing other than trust, the destruction of civil liberties in western society so that the masses can be more easily controlled.
    Finally, Maz'zaroth projects events into the future, with the gradual demise of Europe as a result of its financial systems collapsing, the impending wars that are to come that will be fought on the European continent and the necessary change that will need to take place in world governance that will be required to ensure the continuance of mankind.
    Maz’zaroth comes in illustrated, non-illustrated and picture book editions and is available in Amazon’s Kindle E-Book format from Amazon.com.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 17 September 2016
    A gentle murder story, so gentle, the murder doesn't happen until about 3/4 of the way into the story. It takes time to build up the characters and get you involved with them and the settings are very life-like which makes it very believable but you get the impression the murder is really only incidental to the actual storyline as it could have gone in a number of different directions. That said, it was easy to read, engaging and worth looking for the next book by this author.
    There are a few missing words which is the norm for ebooks now but my biggest criticism would be that most of the book is written in short sentences which makes reading jerky, not flowing, and is unnecessary; for example: 'Jack completed the wheelbarrowing of timber. And went into the back of the summerhouse. His plan...' Much better to make the And part of the preceeding sentence?
    However, hats off to NOT using 'FIT' to cover all tenses which is the American way and seems to be so commonplace now: 'Second time around it fitted nicely.' His coffee...' Again, short sentences though but great to see the proper word for the proper tense being used.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 11 July 2016
    This is a B movie of a book. Implausible characters and storyline yet a lightweight read that doesn't tax the brain. The character of Jack is just not believable. Would a builder say to his daughter "I totally comprehend"? In fact, has anyone you know said that phrase? The sexual appetite of Joanna gives the story some badly needed interest, and the whodunit gets you guessing until the introduction of Dan's neighbour, then we all totally comprehend.
    One person found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 14 January 2025
    This series caught my eye because I grew up in Forest Gate, so the locations are familiar to me. I've only read this one, and have already bought the second. Mr Smith is a really clever writer, offering something new so often in the book that it never gets dull, and his main character, Jack, is no conventional detective - just a decent but flawed character who happens to be a builder. I recommend it.
  • Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 25 August 2022
    I really enjoyed reading this book. The characters are quite simple and easy to imagine. The plot was good and I didn't see the murderer until quite near the end.
    I will probably read more in this series.
  • Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 9 December 2015
    Really enoyed this. I don't normally read crime novels but the characters made it very enjoyable and maybe it is the author's background in writing plays that helps the dialogue flow easily. I think the decision to set it in a real place makes a big difference and helps the story be realistic - I suppose many of us may be familiar with the area. Jack seems a good choice for a 'hero' - no extreme characteristics and you do get to like him, despite his flaws. Looking forward to starting on the second in the series.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 26 August 2016
    I really enjoyed this book. I have to admit initially I wasn't sure what to make of it and that's what I grew to love was its charming unpredictability. So many books boringly stereotype their characters but this wasn't the case. Jack the Builder isn't jack the lad, he's bright and has a sense of decency but isn't the "intellectual that would rather work with his hands". There is a sense of naivety and il fashionedness to the book that was far from stuffy. I found it charming and easy to read and enjoyable to the point I downloaded the next book very quickly.
  • Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 16 March 2017
    Very pleasant light read. Jack the builder is a recovering alcoholic who desperately needs the work renovating a summer house for a rich man's wife. The rich man is vile, the wife a vamp, the cook a cosy lady with a sad secret and the wife's assistant a down-to-earth super efficient young woman.

    The plot flows smoothly, the characters interact, and the secrets come to light. Competent writing makes it all a joy to read.
    2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
  • Little Traveler
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great book!
    Reviewed in the United States on 5 September 2023
    This was a great book. I enjoyed the plot and each of the characters. The ending was a surprise and sad for one of the characters. It held promise for one of the others. I would recommend it to anyone who likes good characters and an interesting story.
  • Barbara
    4.0 out of 5 stars Avid reader
    Reviewed in Italy on 18 February 2017
    Thoroughly enjoyed this mystery and its characters. The culprit was definitely the last person I thought . Looking forward to others in the series.
  • Susan
    4.0 out of 5 stars Good book
    Reviewed in Australia on 24 May 2016
    Great story.
  • Sharon E. Leighton
    5.0 out of 5 stars A great addition to the mystery genre
    Reviewed in Canada on 7 April 2017
    This intriguing novel is at the top of its genre. The mystery is well plotted and paced, although some might find the buildup a little slow. The surprise ending was satisfying. The characters were so human they breathed. One of the story's greatest strengths is its heritage from the author's background as a playwright, as it proceeds in much the way a play does, one vivid, breathless scene after another. Another is the depth of insight it gives into life as a recovering alcoholic, a single father, a struggling contractor; it definitely expanded this reader's understanding. I plan to read the next novel in the series before the year is out.
  • Miguel T C
    3.0 out of 5 stars Your all right ,Jack
    Reviewed in Spain on 29 November 2017
    Well written ,keeps moving, keeps your interest. I hope to read more of these...........suggest you give them a try soon
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