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Georgia Rose
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The Joker: A Grayson Trilogy Short Story (The Grayson Trilogy) Kindle Edition

by Georgia Rose (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars 112 ratings
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When a tormented ex-soldier returns to Melton Manor, he doesn't expect another wounded soul to be his saviour.

He’s the life of every party. But deep down his guilt from clandestine military activities eats away at him. Desperate to prevent causing more sorrow in the world, he numbs his pain with alcohol and shallow sexual liaisons…

After a particularly awkward one-night stand forces him to rethink his serial affairs, he returns to work at the sprawling Melton Manor Estate. It's only when he meets stable-manager Emma Grayson that he truly begins to question his stance against commitment. Will the guilt-ridden soldier leave himself vulnerable to a deeper love, or will his wounded soul quit the party for good?

The Joker is a standalone glimpse into the world of the Grayson Trilogy, a dark romantic suspense series. If you like meaningful moments, authentic lives, and troubled characters, then you'll love this thought-provoking short story showing a different side of the Melton Estate.
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  1. Print length
    26 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publication date
    April 28, 2016
  5. File size
    1379 KB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  9. See all details
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From the Publisher

The books that make up The Grayson Trilogy

A single step trilogy romantic suspense mysterious adventure adults horses dog countryside mystery

before the dawn trilogy mysterious romantic adventure adults horses dog thriller action suspense

thicker than water trilogy mysterious romantic adventure adults horses dog suspense action thriller

A Single Step

A woman wracked with grief. A man with a troubled past. Will trust build a bridge between them or will it be destroyed by dark secrets? If you like wounded characters, slow-building romance, and page-turning twists, then you'll love this powerful story.

Before the Dawn

A woman recovering from tragedy. A love blossoming under pressure. Will a country estate's powerful secret spoil her beautiful future? If you like plucky heroines, romance under pressure, and breath taking twists and turns, then you'll love this gripping novel.

Thicker than Water

A woman beginning a new life. An assassin with a highly personal target. Will her mysterious past lead to a fatal conclusion? If you like engaging characters, dark twists, and heroic finales, you'll love this captivating finale.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Georgia Rose is the author of The Grayson Trilogy books: A Single Step, Before the Dawn and Thicker than Water as well as a short story, The Joker. She then released Parallel Lies, and its sequel, Loving Vengeance, is now available.

Georgia's background in countryside living, riding, instructing and working with horses has provided the knowledge needed for some of her storylines; the others are a product of her overactive imagination.

Her busy life is set in a tranquil part of rural Cambridgeshire where she lives with her much neglected husband and dog.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B01EYCIEB6
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Three Shires Publishing (April 28, 2016)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 28, 2016
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1379 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 ‏ : ‎ 26 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars 112 ratings

About the author

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Georgia Rose

Georgia Rose

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Georgia Rose is a writer and the author of the romantic and suspenseful Grayson Trilogy books: A Single Step, Before the Dawn and Thicker than Water. Following completion of the trilogy she was asked for more and so wrote a short story, The Joker, which is based on a favourite character from the series and the eBook is available to download for free at the retailer of your choice.

Her fourth novel, Parallel Lies, encompasses crime along with Georgia’s usual blending of genre and its sequel, Loving Vengeance, has now completed The Ross Duology.

Georgia’s background in countryside living, riding, instructing and working with horses has provided the knowledge needed for some of her storylines; the others are a product of her passion for people watching and her overactive imagination.

She has also recently started running workshops and providing one-to-one support for those wishing to learn how to independently publish and you can find her, under her real name, at www.threeshirespublishing.com.

Following a long stint working in the law Georgia set up her own business providing administration services for other companies which she does to this day managing to entwine that work along with her writing.

Her busy life is set in a tranquil part of rural Cambridgeshire in the UK where she lives with her much neglected husband and dog.

Customer reviews

4 out of 5 stars
4 out of 5
112 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

suziqn6
5.0 out of 5 stars Intriguing...
Reviewed in the United States on April 30, 2017
Verified Purchase
I received a free copy of this short story from Read Freely. I voluntarily chose to review; this is my honest review.
This story was written by Georgia Rose as a later addition to a completed trilogy which contains the two main people featured herein. They are hurting, isolated within themselves, feeling guilt, and determined to exist without a meaningful connection to anyone ever again.
Emma takes a job running the stables of the Cavendish estate; an estate with an over-the-top amount of security, with detailed instructions attached. The reason why this is so is not given. Hmmm...
I wallow in short stories; they are a marvel when written as well as this one, doubly so if the story intrigues me. This one pulled me in by engaging my curiosity in the very first sentence.
I was just settling in when it ended. Yes, I had forgotten it was a short story. Rats! I share this with you to highlight how intriguing I found the story. The writing skills Rose wielded in telling the story stand out; with a minimum of words, she set the stage, introduced the players, and injected mystery, with an able and deft hand. How had I missed this author?! I fixed that! I bought the trilogy.
If you decide to read this short story, I believe you will be enthralled, too. I recommend this anyone who likes shorts, appreciates subtle writing skills, and wants a break from a larger and longer read. Truly, five stars!
One person found this helpful
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Douglas Winslow Cooper
4.0 out of 5 stars Well-written, but not Compelling
Reviewed in the United States on May 10, 2016
Verified Purchase
I read only "The Joker." Liked it, but not enough to read the other pieces. Army vet has a pattern of one-night-stands, but his pattern may be changed by his most recent experience described here and by the woman he met after that. The writing is clear and interesting, though the story did not seem compelling. A traditionalist, I found the absence of quotation marks for the dialogue to be grating. This trilogy is more likely suited for women than men.
4 people found this helpful
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Kindle Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars Good read
Reviewed in the United States on November 16, 2018
Verified Purchase
I enjoyed this short read. I have previously read the book after this one so it was nice reading this little back story. Read this then, read the next one in this trilogy. There's excitement, a love interest and mystery.
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SensoryMama
5.0 out of 5 stars Lovely
Reviewed in the United States on May 13, 2016
Verified Purchase
I really enjoyed this little snippet into one of the characters from the Grayson trilogy. It is always a pleasure to get a second look into some of the other characters and this did not disappoint.

I think it does well to add to the already wonderful trilogy and is also appealing enough to entice new readers to continue on with the books.
2 people found this helpful
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Weaver of Words
2.0 out of 5 stars Not my cup of tea
Reviewed in the United States on February 5, 2019
Verified Purchase
The fact that the guy was an womanizing rogue turned me off. (Meet. F***. Leave.) Another thing that bothered me was the lack of quotation marks throughout. This wasn't a writing style I enjoyed, and the story went from A to Z without much of a roadmap.
One person found this helpful
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kaylynn13
5.0 out of 5 stars The Protector
Reviewed in the United States on May 11, 2018
Verified Purchase
This is an amazing series that I was sad to finish. I had never read this author before but was captivated by the characters, scenes, intrigue and family they become.
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M LeMont
5.0 out of 5 stars Nice & Fresh
Reviewed in the United States on May 13, 2016
Verified Purchase
This is a tasty sampler of the Grayson Trilogy, a series of mysterious and romantic adventure. I enjoyed the book immensely and the unique writing style of the author. Nice & Fresh 5 Stars
One person found this helpful
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Melissa G.
4.0 out of 5 stars Quick intro
Reviewed in the United States on April 7, 2018
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Very nice character study/ intro to a character that will be a part of the Grayson Trilogy. The short story is helpfully followed by the first chapter of the first book. Nicely done.
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Top reviews from other countries

Sylvia
4.0 out of 5 stars Very short story about one character from the Grayson Trilogy
Reviewed in Canada on August 4, 2017
Verified Purchase
I enjoyed this short story that gives you a glimpse of Will, one of the characters from the Grayson trilogy. It is written differently for what I am used to - no quotation marks for the dialogue - which was OK once I was used to it. I have book 1 of the trilogy and look forward to reading it and more from Georgia Rose.
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Barb Taub
5.0 out of 5 stars A pivotal moment for a character
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 9, 2016
Verified Purchase
f you’re a fan of Georgia Rose’s Grayson Trilogy, you’ve already met supporting character Will Carlton. Through Emma and Trent’s eyes, we’ve seen him as the strong, good-natured ex-soldier, always ready with a joke and a helping hand. But Will wears that persona as a cloak that covers the real man. In The Joker, we step inside Will’s head to see the sorrow and loss he lives with, and his guilt at surviving when Nick—his best friend and hero—was killed.

His attempts to shield that still-open wound, however, lead Will to copy the most visible parts of Nick’s behavior—the joking, lighthearted manner that everyone finds so appealing. Will arms himself with that persona, but refuses to acknowledge the other essential parts that made up Nick’s life as not only soldier and friend, but as husband, lover, and father. So essentially, it’s Will who bears the war wound that leaves him emotionally crippled. Just as amputees sometimes ‘feel’ their missing limbs, Will is driven to look for what’s missing in himself. Because it’s invisible, he looks in all the wrong places, in a relentless restless series of meaningless one-night-stands.

This little story takes place entirely from within Will’s head. We follow as he wakes up from what should have been yet one more pointless sexual encounter. Only something is different this time. For the first time, he finds himself thinking about the woman he’s with. He even wonders…could he return? Could this be something more?

Georgia Rose plays fair with her readers. This show stays inside Will’s head, and plays out as it inevitably must. It’s all about Will. As part of that, she doesn’t even use quotation marks around conversations. So it’s actually brilliantly done that we see Will taking those first steps toward healing that terrible wound, as well as recognizing his own injuries in another when he first meets the new stable manager, Emma Grayson. And that’s when I remembered that the joker is also the wild card.

The fact is that you don’t have to read the rest of the series to get this story. It’s a perfect little jewel—surgically precise and brilliant—that gives dimension to a character. But if you haven’t read the Grayson trilogy, beware. This story will have you reaching for it! And if you have read it, and like me, you’ve been missing your friends at the Melton Manor estate, you’re in for a treat!
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Elegsabiff
4.0 out of 5 stars colouring in background ...
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 18, 2016
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Nice.

As it happens, I've recently spent a lot of time with a man going through the same haunting flashbacks, so the timing was poignant on the reading. I do like this author's writing, she gets to the real without adding unnecessary angst, and this is deeply textured.

I'm already a fan of the Trilogy, this was a bonus treat. Thanks!
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Cathy
5.0 out of 5 stars Great intro to the Grayson Trilogy
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 16, 2016
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A short story looking closely at one of the supporting characters depicted in The Grayson Trilogy, Will Carlton, and getting an insight into what has made him who he is. Georgia Rose is very skilled at getting to the heart of a character, showcased by this well crafted story. I love the way it’s written, without speech marks, so it appears entirely from Will’s mind.

If The Grayson Trilogy is familiar, you’ll know Will as playful, friendly and cheerful. He’s an ex soldier but that part of his past was a mystery. With this new understanding, it’s evident Will has guilt issues and is trying to deal with tragedy and a terrible sorrow, using booze and sex as an escape, and his outward persona as a shield. He doesn’t want, or perhaps is afraid, to form attachments or commitments.

The latest in a long line of one night stands makes him question his lifestyle and when he returns to Melton Manor he realises maybe he could begin to let go of the past and possibly gain some stability.

I liked Will a lot when I read the books and Georgia Rose has done an excellent job with his back story. And I love that Will saw a kindred spirit in Emma Grayson, someone who is also suffering a devastating loss and trying to live with the fall out.

A really enjoyable story. It leads in perfectly and smoothly to the beginning of The Grayson Trilogy and, as an extra treat, Georgia Rose has included the first few pages of A Single Step as a taster.
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Ag
5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous writing
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 17, 2017
Verified Purchase
Normally I am not keen on romance (erm... in novels specifically!). However, as I was so intrigued by The Joker's blurb I thought I would give it a go - the author suggests that it's a good, short read with a morning coffee, afternoon tea or late evening tipple and I went with the latter. Also, I must admit the clincher for me to download was that it was free and I had nothing to lose.

But everything to gain, as it turns out!

I am thrilled with Georgia Rose's writing voice. In The Joker, her lack of speech marks give the dialogue a fluidity and intimacy that is really difficult for most writers to achieve - Margaret Atwood and Hilary Mantel are masters of this and those are some big shoes to fill - and the writing is so good that Will's inner monologue flows in-and-out of the third person point-of-view seamlessly. It is very intelligent writing but also completely accessible. I hope that the author produces more works in this style.

This book is a prequel to The Grayson Trilogy and a quick look at the samples show that the series reverts to a more traditional style, but is nonetheless very well-written. The excellent writing (and the hint of mystery/thriller aspects within the trilogy) have convinced me to give the first in the series, A Single Step, a go.

Note: Georgia Rose is correct - The Joker is the perfect reading length for one delicious late night tipple!
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