‘Behind Closed Doors’ by Kerry Wilkinson

Published by Pan,
16 January 2014.
ISBN: 978-1-4472-4785-2

The series about Detective Sergeant Jessica Daniel continues in this seventh tale. It is a beautifully crafted story or actually two stories. Jessica is visited in her home by DCI Jack Cole and it transpires that she has been holed up there for months in isolation - she goes out rarely and even ignores knocks from the postman preferring to collect parcels later from her neighbour. What horrible happening has produced this state is gradually revealed during an investigation that Cole has persuaded Jessica to take. This is for a neighbouring force to Jessica's own force in Manchester.

The juxtaposition of the two stories is cleverly done and the reader feels totally involved in what the revelations of Jessica's past experiences show while also wanting to pursue the situation she is investigating. The emotions that Jessica has experienced are sensitively handled. Meanwhile the puzzlesome situation in a closed community that she is investigating makes connections with her own problems. The mystery is very hard to elucidate and she is working undercover with very little support. Slowly both stories build up to successful climaxes.
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Reviewer: Jennifer S Palmer

Kerry Wilkinson started as an e-book writer but his success on line has led to paper publication. The Jessica Daniels books have been joined by the first of a new series.

Kerry Wilkinson is something of an accidental author. His debut, Locked In, was written as a challenge to himself but, after self-publishing, it became a UK number one bestseller within three months of release. His three initial Jessica Daniel books sold over 300,000 copies through word-of-mouth, making him Amazon's UK No.1 author for the final quarter of 2011, its biggest-ever sales period. In February 2012, he agreed a six-book deal with Pan Macmillan for the Jessica Daniel books. In October 2012, it was announced the same publisher had also bought a sci-fi/fantasy/adventure series - the Silver Blackthorn trilogy - which will start to be released in October/November 2013.

Jennifer Palmer Throughout my reading life crime fiction has been a constant interest; I really enjoyed my 15 years as an expatriate in the Far East, the Netherlands & the USA but occasionally the solace of closing my door to the outside world and sitting reading was highly therapeutic. I now lecture to adults on historical topics including Famous Historical Mysteries.