David Jackson (15)

So, I got to the end of 'A Tapping At My Door', the first book in the DS Nathan Cody series and my gut reaction was: I don't want to continue with this series.

Then I argued with myself.

I reminded myself that this was a well-written book. The dialogue is spot-on for Liverpool. The characters were believable and easy to empathise with. There was a strong sense of place and of local culture. There were diverse attitudes towards the police that were conveyed with passion. Moments of high tension show more were balanced with moments of introspection. The ending was tense and spectacular. So waddaya mean you don't wanna read the rest of the series?

I responded with "Well, just because it's well-written and realistic and has a credible main character doesn't mean that I enjoyed it". DS Cody is a broken man - mentally unstable and lying to himself, his boss and his colleagues about it and thereby putting himself and his colleagues at risk. It makes for a strong story but it makes him a hard man to cheer for. The scene where I found out exactly how he was broken and by whom was one of vivid violence that was necessary in terms of understanding Cody and his problems but one that I'd rather not have had splashed across my imagination.

I also struggled with the motivation of the off-the-wall character who was killing police officers and leaving birds with their corpses. It felt far-fetched and over-elaborate. It's extremely rare for a Police Officer to be murdered in the UK. The idea of multiple murders accompanied by exotic clues felt exploitative to me, especially when the setting for the crimes was so realistic. Later, when I learned that the motivation of the murderer was linked to a single, at that point unrevealed, word I know what the word would be. Most people who grew up on Merseyside would be able to guess. I won't say why here because it would spoil the plot but I found the link distasteful. Even though the distress linked to the word was described with some dignity, the motivation for this crime left a bad taste in my mouth.

Which is why, even though I think 'A Tapping At My Door' was a four-star read, I don't want to read any more of this series. show less

‘Sara! Remember! Victoria and Albert. All I can say. They’re here. They’re – ’
These are the last words Sara Prior will ever hear from her husband.
As DS Nathan Cody struggles to make sense of the enigmatic message and solve the brutal murder, it soon becomes clear that Sara is no ordinary bereaved wife and is equally determined to make sense of it. Taking the investigation into her own hands, Sara is drawn into a world of violence that will lead her in a direction she would never show more have suspected. For Cody, meanwhile, things are about to get personal in the darkest and most twisted ways imaginable ….
I’d read and enjoyed “Don’t Make Sound”, the author’s previous book in his Nathan Cody series, and so was eager to read his latest book. Although the content is very much darker and there is considerably more violence and brutality throughout the story, I found it to be an equally well-written and engaging psychological thriller. Explicit brutality is evident from the beginning as the reader discovers how Sara’s husband is murdered (no spoilers from me!) and becomes a theme which runs throughout the development of the story. Although there were times when I found this very disturbing, I never had the feeling that the author was using this violence in any gratuitous way; every incident felt contained within the bounds of the psychological integrity of the characters and the plot.
Sara’s strong, proactive personality means that she’s unwilling to leave all the investigating to the police, especially when she realises that she is a suspect. However, her interventions soon expose her to danger as she comes into contact with violent characters from Liverpool’s criminal underworld. DS Nathan Cody, believing in her innocence, is soon side-lined by his bosses and so runs a parallel investigation. However, this is one which exposes a link to an old adversary from a previous undercover job, a kidnapping which had ended badly, leaving him with traumatic memories and unresolved psychological problems. As unwelcome memories come flooding back, he not only has to face up to the effects his fragile mental state are having on his personal as well as his professional life, but is also exposed to ever increasing danger.
The author uses the alternating perspectives of these two main characters to drive the plot forward and increase the tension in ways which, at times, felt almost unbearable. However, his use of this device certainly helped me to feel I was getting to know each of them in a very intimate way, helping me to understand the motivations behind their decision-making and their behaviour. I find that one of the central strengths of David Jackson’s writing is the way in which he faces his characters with having to make choices which could well be life/career changing and, by doing so, exposes them to moral ambiguities and to being forced to face their darkest fears. How far will each of them be prepared to go to resolve the dilemmas they face; do they want revenge or justice?
I think that in this ongoing development of the personality of Nathan Cody, the author very credibly captured how a person who is psychologically fragile can, given the “right” trigger, slip from being able to function normally into a state of mental and emotional disintegration. Even though I admired this portrayal, I found it extremely difficult and disturbing to accompany Nathan on his emotionally fraught journey. Although there were moments when I wondered whether the integrity of the plot-development was in danger of stretching my credulity, I think the author’s understanding of almost intolerable stress enabled him to avoid this.
Since childhood I’ve had a visceral dislike of clowns (I’ve never found them funny!) so the inclusion of a terrifying clown figure certainly exposed me to one of my deepest fears and I can’t imagine anyone reading this disturbing novel without facing the danger of being exposed to theirs! I have to admit that I did miss some of the “Scouse” humour I’d enjoyed in the previous book (apart from the scene in the shoe shop!) but I see that there is to be a fifth book in the series so maybe it will return in that one. I’m already looking forward (I think!) to discovering what new challenges David Jackson has in store for DS Cody!
With my thanks to Zaffre and Readers First for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. show less

Malcolm and Harriet Benson appear to be a normal couple; they are friendly enough with their neighbours,
although they do tend to keep themselves to themselves. Maybe this has something to do with the fact that ten-year-old Daisy, whom they abducted three years earlier, lives in a locked room in the house, with no natural light because the window has been blocked by wooden boards. As the story starts Malcolm informs Harriet and Daisy that they should prepare to welcome a new addition to show more their family, a sister for Daisy; her name is Poppy, she is six years old and fits all the criteria he uses to find the “right” child for his family. Although Daisy believes this is no place to bring another child, her experiences over the years have taught her how she is expected to behave in order to avoid punishment and, as she has learnt that it is futile to complain, she assures her “parents” that she will share her toys with her new “sister”, will read to her and, most important of all, will explain to her “how everything works” in this strange household.
The abduction of Poppy is being investigated by DS Nathan Cody and his partner, DC Megan Webley. They are members of Liverpool’s Major Incident Team, which is headed by DCI Stella Blunt. From the start the team is confounded by the unusual and audacious nature of this “early hours of the morning” abduction, carried out as Polly’s parents are asleep in their own bedroom. It soon becomes clear that this is no opportunistic snatching but is one which has been meticulously planned. With a lack of leads and no understanding of the motivations of the abductor, the team becomes increasingly frustrated by the lack of progress in their investigations. When a third young girl is abducted fears for the safety of the children increase and the need to find a resolution becomes more urgent, placing the team members under even more pressure.
I found this a well-paced and immediately engaging story. It effectively and convincingly combines the horrors of what is happening in the Benson household and the efforts of the police to solve the crime, the result being a fast-moving psychological thriller. I thought that the characterisations of each one of the members of the MIT were well rounded and developed and that the complex dynamics of the various interrelationships were convincingly well portrayed. These interactions captured the mostly good-natured if, at times, edgy banter which seems to be essential when people are working under extreme pressure, especially when the situations they are dealing with are so disturbing, stressful and even life-threatening.
The story was told from the shifting perspectives of Nathan, Malcom and Daisy, thus offering insights into the various characters, their motivations and the developing investigation. I thought this was very well and smoothly handled. There was never a time when I felt any confusion about whose perspective was being explored and I found that the various twists and turns were credible and convincing. This device was particularly effective in gradually exposing what was happening in the Benson household and the motivations behind the abductions. It quickly became clear that Malcolm’s rationale for abducting these young girls was, to say the least, twisted and that his violent outbursts when thwarted in any way was a huge threat to their safety. The daily horrors faced by the girls was well captured, as were their individual reactions to their incarceration and, as the story progressed, the tension which was generated during Malcolm’s interactions with them made for some very uncomfortable and disturbing moments, at times verging on unbearable. I thought that in his resolution of the story the author posed some very thought-provoking questions for the reader in relation to the ambiguity of the kidnappers’ motivations – something which could make for some very interesting reading group discussions!
The fact that Daisy had been living this life for three years meant that she felt a huge responsibility for ensuring that her new “sisters” quickly learnt the rules set by Malcolm and Harriet. This was an absolute necessity, not only for their safety but also so that she wasn’t punished for any disobedience on their part. Their arrival is very disturbing for her because their presence also serves to remind her of how much she has lost since she was snatched from her own family. For the most part I thought that the author managed to convey a convincing picture of the girls’ reactions and feelings and there were moments when I felt as though I was in the locked room with them, feeling their terror whenever they heard the bolt on the door being slid open. However, I did find that there were a few occasions when I needed to retreat into a degree of suspension of disbelief at the maturity of Daisy’s thought-processes as she tried to find a resolution to their predicament. When compared with the author’s overall understanding of human psychology this was rather surprising.
The fact that this is the third book in a series featuring Nathan Cody didn’t spoil my enjoyment of the story because I found that the author managed to provide sufficient background information to explain the behaviour and motivations of this troubled detective and the history of the team, thus enabling it to be easily read as a stand-alone novel. The fact that it was set in Liverpool, and especially the fact that it featured the suburb of Crosby, my childhood home, added an extra dimension to my enjoyment of this well-written novel and I’m now keen to read the two earlier books in the series!

My thanks to Real Readers and Zaffre for a providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. show less

Nachdem er - wieder einmal – brutal gemordet hat, ist Thomas Brogan auf der Flucht vor der Polizei. Ein unmögliches Unterfangen in dem kleinen Wohngebiet. Doch dann findet er ein offenbar verlassenes Haus, in dem er sich verstecken kann. Bei seinem Erkundungsgang entdeckt er, dass die Dachböden der Nachbarhäuser zugänglich sind und so kann er die alte Elsie besuchen, aber auch Pam und Jack und natürlich Martyn und Colette. Diese fasziniert ihn besonders und er sucht sie sogleich als show more neue Spielgefährtin aus. Denn Brogan tötet nicht einfach, ein gibt seinen Opfern eine ehrliche Chance. Doch zunächst einmal muss er sich um Nahrung kümmern und die neuen Nachbarn beobachten. Bald schon kann das Spiel aber beginnen, wenn auch nicht ganz so wie er und die Stimme in seinem Kopf das geplant hatten.

Eine gruselige Vorstellung hat David Jackson in seinem Thriller umgesetzt: ein heimlicher Mitbewohner, der in die Häuser schleicht, wenn keiner Zuhause ist, sich an den Lebensmitteln bedient, die Dusche benutzt und in Schulbladen rumschnüffelt. Er hinterlässt keine Spuren, manchmal ein ungutes Gefühl, aber lange Zeit bleibt er unentdeckt. Es ist zunächst ein einseitiges Katz-und-Maus-Spiel, doch unerwartet zeigen sich auch andere Seiten des Killers, die das Bild eines kaltblütigen Mörders differenzierter zeichnen.

Bisweilen hat der Thriller auch humorvolle Passagen, wenn Brogan droht entdeckt zu werden und auf der überhasteten Flucht in sein Versteck auf so manches Hindernis trifft. Ganz anders gestalten sich seine Besuche bei Elsie, die schwerhörige Dame überrascht ihn eines Nachts und glaubt ihr verstorbener Sohn sei zurückgekehrt. Fortan bekocht sie den Mörder und erweicht sogar sein Herz. Zum ersten Mal erfährt dieser Zuneigung, was er nicht einfach beenden kann und will. Bei Colette gestaltet sich der Fall anders, er findet sie attraktiv, aber da ist noch ein anderer Reiz, den er nicht einordnen kann, der ihn jedoch immer wieder zu der jungen Frau zieht. In seinen Entscheidungen ist er jedoch nicht frei, die Stimme in seinem Kopf, treuer Begleiter, der ihm stets Gesellschaft leistet, ist es, die die Entscheidungen trifft.

Ein Psychothriller, der seinen Namen verdient hat. Als Leser fühlt man sich sogleich unwohl bei der Vorstellung, dass jemand unbemerkt im eigenen Haus umherschleichen könnte, aber ebenso interessant ist diese Stimme, die eine traurige Ursache hat und Brogan letztlich genauso zum Opfer werden lässt. Gänsehaut und Unbehagen beim Lesen und ein unerwartetes Ende – eindeutige Leseempfehlung. show less