This is the first time I have read a book by David Jackson, and if I was being honest, I’d say I might have benefitted a little from reading the other two books first. Not so much that it stopped me from understanding or enjoying this book, but just because, when we meet Cody this time around he is damaged and being side lined in the investigation due events from a previous case, events which aren’t fully obvious to the uninitiated. They become clearer as you read on, but I think you’d appreciate the back story more with advance knowledge.
That said, this is a book you can definitely read first if you so choose and it may well spur you on to go back and fill in the gaps in your understanding. Win-win in that case. Unlike the situation Cody finds himself in in this latest offering. Forced to work on the periphery of a case involving a particularly gruesome murder, Cody is on edge and irritable, not helped by being forced to see a Psychologist as part of his return to work arrangements. The case, the brutal execution of a man who seemingly had no enemies, is perplexing enough but when it comes too close to home for Cody, his sleepless nights are set to get a whole lot worse.
Now the tone of this book is quite dark. There are some pretty nasty events which take place, or are recounted, not in any barbaric detail, but enough to make a reader grimace, so prepare to go ewww. The author walks the line perfectly between too much and too little detail, but it is more in the reactions of the characters around the violence, rather than the violence itself, that the true depth of feeling comes. There is a real sense of menace underpinning the whole book, as well as intrigue as you try to work out how all the pieces of the story fit together.
I liked the character of Cody, as damaged as he is, and was hooked by his story, wanting to know more of what made him tick and what had happened in his past. (Cue the knock on the noggin’ reminding me that I’d know that if I’d read the other books first). In this book he finds himself torn between what he knows is right, his sense of duty as a police officer, and the deep desire within him to get revenge upon someone from his past. The way in which the two stories – Cody’s past and the present murder – tie together is surprising, but does work, even if on occasion the whole situation seems a little over the top and perhaps fantastical. There were a couple of moments of raised eyebrows as the situations seemed a little too convenient, but it didn’t spoil my enjoyment of the story.
Perhaps one of the most surprising elements of all was Sara, the victim’s wife, who has a kind of detachment and inner strength which defies the circumstances. When you learn the reason why, it does make sense, but her response to her husband’s death is a mixture of remorse, grief and determination. If the police are not able to get justice for her husband, Matthew, then Sara will. She is fierce, intelligent and cunning, and I did like her, even if her almost clinical response to her husband’s death does seem a little odd at first. I’d love to see her back in a future book. Who knows? Maybe we will.
If you are a fan of this series, I think you will love this, the blend of mystery, tension and darkness which carries on Cody’s story and adds a new layer of uncertainty to it all. For me, as my first foray into Cody’s world, I found it very entertaining, just the right blend of mystery and intensity, and I look forward to, firstly, catching up and secondly, reading more.
That said, this is a book you can definitely read first if you so choose and it may well spur you on to go back and fill in the gaps in your understanding. Win-win in that case. Unlike the situation Cody finds himself in in this latest offering. Forced to work on the periphery of a case involving a particularly gruesome murder, Cody is on edge and irritable, not helped by being forced to see a Psychologist as part of his return to work arrangements. The case, the brutal execution of a man who seemingly had no enemies, is perplexing enough but when it comes too close to home for Cody, his sleepless nights are set to get a whole lot worse.
Now the tone of this book is quite dark. There are some pretty nasty events which take place, or are recounted, not in any barbaric detail, but enough to make a reader grimace, so prepare to go ewww. The author walks the line perfectly between too much and too little detail, but it is more in the reactions of the characters around the violence, rather than the violence itself, that the true depth of feeling comes. There is a real sense of menace underpinning the whole book, as well as intrigue as you try to work out how all the pieces of the story fit together.
I liked the character of Cody, as damaged as he is, and was hooked by his story, wanting to know more of what made him tick and what had happened in his past. (Cue the knock on the noggin’ reminding me that I’d know that if I’d read the other books first). In this book he finds himself torn between what he knows is right, his sense of duty as a police officer, and the deep desire within him to get revenge upon someone from his past. The way in which the two stories – Cody’s past and the present murder – tie together is surprising, but does work, even if on occasion the whole situation seems a little over the top and perhaps fantastical. There were a couple of moments of raised eyebrows as the situations seemed a little too convenient, but it didn’t spoil my enjoyment of the story.
Perhaps one of the most surprising elements of all was Sara, the victim’s wife, who has a kind of detachment and inner strength which defies the circumstances. When you learn the reason why, it does make sense, but her response to her husband’s death is a mixture of remorse, grief and determination. If the police are not able to get justice for her husband, Matthew, then Sara will. She is fierce, intelligent and cunning, and I did like her, even if her almost clinical response to her husband’s death does seem a little odd at first. I’d love to see her back in a future book. Who knows? Maybe we will.
If you are a fan of this series, I think you will love this, the blend of mystery, tension and darkness which carries on Cody’s story and adds a new layer of uncertainty to it all. For me, as my first foray into Cody’s world, I found it very entertaining, just the right blend of mystery and intensity, and I look forward to, firstly, catching up and secondly, reading more.