I've read every book that Jack Jordan has published and the talent of this outstanding young author continues to amaze me. You know you're guaranteed a good read when you pick up a Jack Jordan novel and wow does he pull out all of the stops in Night by Night, his fifth book. I was almost hyperventilating in shock after a huge gasp out loud moment in the opening chapters, in a part named 'Before'; so be prepared and buckle up for this thrilling literary rollercoaster ride!
You would have to be completely heartless not to feel for Rose Shaw; she has such an emotional and heartbreaking back story with so much tragedy in her life and the punches just keep on coming. When Rose finds a journal in the street one night, she is determined to find out what happened to its owner, but someone is equally determined to stop her. As she continues to dig into the disappearance of Finn Matthews, it feels like Rose is very much alone, losing friends and family at every turn and even the police don't believe her.
I loved Rose's dogged determination to get to the bottom of the disappearances of young men in her area over several years. When Rose puts an advert in the newspaper, a string of families come forward who have lost loved ones; vulnerable young men who are just trying to live the life they have chosen. Someone is preying on these men and the local police force, filled with bigots and homophobes, won't take their disappearances seriously.
It's scary to see how people's prejudices affect their work ethic; I know this is fiction but I bet it does happen in real life. It shouldn't matter what age, sex or sexual preference a person has but oftentimes it's the only thing that some narrow minded people see. It's very brave of Jack Jordan to put this subject out there and it pains me to think of the suffering that many people will have encountered over the years. I was particularly moved by Jay's story and how he was crying for help inside but couldn't voice it to those who cared most about him.
Jack Jordan remains firmly one of my favourite authors and I'm always on tenterhooks when he releases a new book. Night by Night is an outstanding psychological thriller that succeeded in shocking and gripping me but it was also very thought-provoking as it highlighted the emotional torture that people hide so very well. Although it's a thriller not a self-help book, if it makes just one tortured soul ask for help as a result of reading it, then it's a job well done.
You would have to be completely heartless not to feel for Rose Shaw; she has such an emotional and heartbreaking back story with so much tragedy in her life and the punches just keep on coming. When Rose finds a journal in the street one night, she is determined to find out what happened to its owner, but someone is equally determined to stop her. As she continues to dig into the disappearance of Finn Matthews, it feels like Rose is very much alone, losing friends and family at every turn and even the police don't believe her.
I loved Rose's dogged determination to get to the bottom of the disappearances of young men in her area over several years. When Rose puts an advert in the newspaper, a string of families come forward who have lost loved ones; vulnerable young men who are just trying to live the life they have chosen. Someone is preying on these men and the local police force, filled with bigots and homophobes, won't take their disappearances seriously.
It's scary to see how people's prejudices affect their work ethic; I know this is fiction but I bet it does happen in real life. It shouldn't matter what age, sex or sexual preference a person has but oftentimes it's the only thing that some narrow minded people see. It's very brave of Jack Jordan to put this subject out there and it pains me to think of the suffering that many people will have encountered over the years. I was particularly moved by Jay's story and how he was crying for help inside but couldn't voice it to those who cared most about him.
Jack Jordan remains firmly one of my favourite authors and I'm always on tenterhooks when he releases a new book. Night by Night is an outstanding psychological thriller that succeeded in shocking and gripping me but it was also very thought-provoking as it highlighted the emotional torture that people hide so very well. Although it's a thriller not a self-help book, if it makes just one tortured soul ask for help as a result of reading it, then it's a job well done.