Silent Suspect (DI Jessica Daniels #13) by Kerry Wilkinson
Genre: Crime Fiction, Psychological Thriller
Read: 17th January 2019
Purchase: Amazon
★★★★ 4 stars
As SILENT SUSPECT is the thirteenth book in the DI Jessica Daniels series, I must be the only person to start the series with this one! Hahaha... I've enjoyed a few of Kerry Wilkinson's standalones that when I saw this one come up, despite not having read any of the other books I thought "why not?" And I'm not sorry I did because I just love Wilkinson's books.
Whilst reading the rest of the series in some sort of order might give the reader insight into Jessica's backstory and what's taken place to bring her to where she is now, it still could be read as a standalone - in my opinion. After all, I've not read any of the series and this could have been a mystery of its own. But I guess, the earlier books leading up to this one would have given me more of an insight into Jessica as a person and police detective. The only thing that remained a mystery to me, because I haven't read the rest of the series, is her reference to something a Chief Constable had done to her in the past and not having read them I know not what that is. But aside from that reference, this book could be read as a standalone.
So from the premise AND the end of book 12 (apparently), we discover Jessica's friend Bex has disappeared. It's been three months since when Jessica receives a phone call with Bex's voice on the other end pleading "Jessica..." With obvious secret misuse of police resources, Jessica traces the call to a phone box in Blackpool. But when she arrives, no one is there. In fact the whole place looks deserted.
It is then she sees a MISSING poster of woman who could almost be Bex inside the phone box, and not really knowing why, Jessica calls the number on the flyer. The man who answers is Peter Salisbury. The missing girl is his sister Katy. He offers to help Jessica in her search but is found stabbed to death on the beach the next morning.
What then ensues is a cat and mouse game as Jessica devles deeper into the seedier side of Blackpool that goes unseen, as she searches desperately for Bex. Then a young girl who claims to have information regarding Bex goes missing and the last person she had contacted was Jessica. Then her body is found. With her face plastered all over the newspapers it won't be long before Jessica is arrested for double murder.
Despite all that she is up against, Jessica is determined to find Bex and the reason why she is being set up. Then when the police begin to close in on her, Jessica finds help where she least expects it.
True to Wilkinson form, SILENT SUSPECT is both fast-paced and compelling. Filled with twists and turns, the truth behind the seedy story is creepy yet psychologically thrilling. What I especially like is the fact that this is a story of what happens when a police detecive - Jessica - finds herself on the other side of the law. She gets to see what it is like to be unjustly accused but yet with mounting evidence against her. In this she is reminded that not everything, no matter how much it may seem, is black and white. An interesting aspect which worked so well.
Another point I must make that I thought was a nice touch, was bringing in private investigator Andrew Hunter from Wilkinson's other series - Andrew Hunter - and brought the two together, even if just for a while. It was cleverly done and worked well.
While this is my first introduction to Jessica Daniels, I didn't completely warm up to her but as I tackle the rest of the series in the future I'm sure I will get to know her better and that will change.
I'd like to thank #KerryWilkinson, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an Advanced Reader's Copy of #Silent Suspect in exchange for an honest review.
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