Warning: Contains very creepy clowns!

Every now and again I pick up a book by an author I don’t know and get that frisson of excitement that tells me I have found a new author and series that I just have to read. Why no-one ever told me about David Jackson and his D.S. Nathan Cody series, I have no idea, but from this, the 4th in the series, I know I have to go back to the beginning and read the whole lot.

Though this is the 4th, it reads just fine as a stand-alone, but will leave you wanting to know the whole backstory of how D.S. Cody of the Liverpool Police Major Incident Team arrives in the damaged state that he does; back on duty after an enforced leave of absence but clearly both physically and psychologically more fragile than before.

Your Deepest Fear grabbed me from the first. This is fast paced, exciting writing that gets your attention from the beginning and never lets go. Sara Prior is returning from a trip to her native Copenhagen. Recently separated from her husband Matthew, whom she misses enormously, she isn’t looking forward to going back to an empty house.

When she hears a cryptic message on her answering machine, she is seriously alarmed and heads straight off to Matthew’s new flat. Matthew, a quiet and gentle man, works at the Inland Revenue as an e-learning analyst, but some months ago he started to become even more withdrawn and depressive and that was when he left Sara.

Sara is of a different character to Matthew; she is confident and self-assured. Her military service as a native of Denmark has honed her fighting skills and she can certainly look after herself. Heading into Matthew’s flat, though, she is not prepared for what she will find. Matthew is dead – brutally murdered.

DS Nathan Cody has been clearly instructed by his boss, DCI Stella Blunt, that he is not to go anywhere near a fatal death crime scene until he has been assessed by a psychologist and cleared fit for duty. Cody is sent to interview Sara. He thinks she knows more than she is telling him, but her alibi for the murder is watertight.

Matthew’s laptop is missing and the team are puzzling over what could be on it that this mild tax analyst could have that a killer might want?

Sara, in the meantime, is determined to track down those who killed her husband. No stranger to stealth fighting, she makes her way through Liverpool’s seedier joints to find the man that Matthew’s cryptic message has pointed to.

Jackson gives us a dual trajectory for this story arc. Cody is off on a tangent of his own, brushing aside his team, and fixating on Waldo, his newly re-appeared clown nemesis, who winds him up like a clockwork toy and watched as he revs off in any direction that Waldo sends him. It is obvious that Waldo enjoys a sadistic game of pushing Cody’s buttons and Cody is too damaged and too close to the edge to realise that he’s being played.

Meanwhile Sara is also following a trail of breadcrumbs which she hopes will lead her to Matthew’s killers. It’s when their trajectories meet that all seems lost and we begin to wonder if either will come out alive.

Edgy, viscerally raw and incredibly tense, this really is a book that could easily give you nightmares. Those clowns are truly creepy and utterly malevolent and Waldo has to go down as one of the most evil protagonists out there.

I loved this introduction to DS Cody. Now excuse me while I pop out more of David Jackson’s books…

Verdict: Dark, creepy, intense, yet with a leavening humour, this is a terrific, fast-paced read for anyone who does not suffer from coulrophobia.

Terrifying and Blood Chilling

I regret to admit that I have never read David Jackson before now. His latest thriller, Your Deepest Fear, is the next in the DS Nathan Cody series. I am however relieved to say that although this is part of a series, this book more than held it's own weight as a stand-alone. 

Rest assured this will not be the last of his books that I pick up, even though he made me confront one of my biggest fears (and gave me nightmares for days!)Jackson has created some amazing characters in this book, I feel I must start by saying that before I go into the depths of the review. It's the one thing that stands out the most for me.

Sara is kick ass. She is the very embodiment of female power and determination.  She is feisty and driven and I loved that about her. When she returns home from a trip, she is deeply disturbed by a voice message left by her husband. As much as she loves her man, it is no secret that things have been difficult in the last few months. Her husband has been pulling away from her, emotionally and physically, even moving out of their home. Despite recent events, her husband's disappearance is more than a shock, but Sara is not prepared to let her man go without a fight. It isn't until she enters his house that she realises she is far too late. The body of her dead husband has been left in the most brutal of states. She can not understand who on earth would want to kill the man she loved in such a violent and disturbing way.

This is where DS Cody comes in. Now, as I mentioned before, this book was a cherry pop to me. So when it is explained that due to a prior case, DS Cody cannot be permitted to view the crime scene, this only sparked my interest more. Cue me then ferociously searching for the other books on Amazon to download onto my kindle. What on earth could he have gone through?

I did all of this before reading any further.. which maybe I should have done, as I was about to get a shock myself. You see, I am deeply terrified of Clowns. Yes, you read that right. I blame Stephen King and a birthday girl when I was younger who thought that particular movie would be perfect for a sleepover. More than 20 years later, I still can not look at a clown and found myself peeking through my own fingers at my kindle screen as my deepest fears grew legs and jumped off the page.

But.. the characters... the storyline... I couldn't stop reading. With my heart in my mouth and knowing I would likely never sleep again, I persevered.

As the story progresses, we see Sara take matters into her own hands, knowing that the police simply will not do the job she is willing to do to see justice done. Despite many of the police force steadfast in their beliefs that Sara has something to do with her husband Matthews murder, Cody keeps Sara's personal investigation a secret from the rest of the team.

The intricately women characteristics of both Sara and DS Cody kept me turning the pages, their individual battles and personal demons kept me hooked.

I know I have discussed more of Sara's personality in this review than DS Cody's. However, I feel a little guilty going into my feelings about his character. With clearly a lot to catch up on, I think I will reserve my judgement until I have read more of his story in previous novels.

This is a tense and pacey thriller with twist and turns, disturbing torture and painful realisations. The writing is superb, the fear is palpable and the desire to go back and read the DS Cody back catalogue is now stronger than ever.

Despite the clowns.. and the nightmares, I was really impressed with this book.

My review

Trigger Warning for this book:Death,mutilation,clowns!

Thank you to Netgalley and Bonnier Zaffre for the E-ARC. All opinions are my own.

I totally didn't know that this book is the 4th book in the series until I was looking at the reviews on goodreads. That being said, i think it can be read as a standalone. It never really felt like I was missing something, I thought it was a backstory I would find out. It was explained well, so it didn't hinder my reading experience and added even more mystery to it. I'm not even sure if that particular backstory is even talked about in previous books.

So anyway, this book is about Sara who finds her husband brutally murdered and the detectives trying to solve the case,This is all I'm going to say. Also that this is an adult book and not YA.

I really liked the way the story was told. It was told in 3rd person so we got a wider view of the story than just what the narrator told us. It had glimpses of things we otherwise would not have known. It added to the story but didn't make it any less mysterious.This book is dark! I know it was a murder mystery but I didn't expect it to be this dark and gruesome. I liked that the stakes were high and I was wondering what would happen next. One thing I was disappointed in was that I thought it would have more of the detectives solving the case,which it didn't have. I thought the ending was a bit rushed and could have had 20 or more pages to tie the loose ends.

I was frustrated with Cody a lot of this book but I understand why he did what he did. I was really invested in the story and wanted what was best for him. I liked that Sara stood up for herself and wasn't a damsel in distress. She knew how to fight! I'm interested to know the history between Cody and Webley!

This book has definitely made me want to go back and read the other 3 stories following this detective! I will also be on the lookout for future releases.

Overall, I would recommend this book if you enjoy murder mysteries but not if your squeamish.

4/5

Sara returns from a trip to Copenhagen to a cryptic message on her voicemail from her estranged Husband….on investigation she finds him murdered in the most brutal way. She sets out to solve the puzzle, and to find her Husbands killers…..but without the help of the police.

DS Nathan Cody is one of the the Detective’s on the murder case but he has his own back story….one that he is forced to see a Psychologist for. But when his past comes back to haunt him….a twisty, and dark tale unravels…..

This is such a great book that had me gripped from beginning to end! As you progress through the book you’re trying to figure out both of these main characters stories…..who are the people involved? Why are they doing what they’re doing? And are they linked in any way?

Sara is an incredibly strong woman, who kicks ass even though she’s going through a terrible time. Even though she was investigating without police help, I was backing her all the way and willing her on to do something drastic! Nathan has been through an awful time and I was literally terrified for him at every turn!

This is honestly a brilliant book that you won’t want to put down. Jackson has done a brilliant job of keeping you on the edge of your seat, not knowing what will come next…..a brilliant story of cat and mouse.

This is number four in the Nathan Cody series and I haven’t read any of the previous books. It can definitely be read as a standalone as enough of the back story is included. However, I REALLY want to go back and read the others now and can’t wait for another! Definitely recommended by me!

Your Deepest Fear is the fourth instalment in the DS Nathan Cody series and … bloody hell! I’m in need of a drink. Or an oxygen tank. I feel absolutely drained.

This book is a little different from its predecessors, in that it isn’t all about Cody. Sara Prior’s estranged husband is found brutally murdered at his home, his naked body nailed to the floor. Due to events from the previous books, Cody finds himself somewhat sidelined in this investigation but not to worry, because we have a kick-ass and fierce Sara Prior who will dig deep and try to figure out what happened to her husband.

Meanwhile Cody is being taunted by his biggest nemesis. The clown. This person is by far one of the creepiest and most chilling characters I’ve ever met. Manipulative, pulling Cody’s strings and playing games … there is just no way of knowing what he’ll do next. Only that it won’t be anything good.

I do so love it when an author has no qualms whatsoever in putting their main character through the wringer, and the reader right alongside with him. After three books, I, as the reader, have become incredibly invested in Cody. The reader is aware of his struggles and issues and to see him suffer even more, to be pulled down to the depths of despair, utterly broken … well, it hurts. Now, don’t despair! If you’re new to this series, you can read this as a stand-alone. There is enough background to fill you in on what went on before but not so much that it’ll bore fans of the series to tears. It’s a tough balance to achieve but I feel David Jackson managed it perfectly.

I kept expecting Sara’s and Cody’s investigations to converge at some point but when they did, I was not at all prepared for what happened. Mind blown to smithereens! Just awesome! Part of me was happy in finally getting some answers, the other part has so many questions that I don’t even know where to start.

Your Deepest Fear is dark, disturbing and insanely tense. It’s so fast paced, it almost felt relentless at times and left me in desperate need of a breather. My heart was pounding, my hands were clammy and I was trying extremely hard to figure out how it would all end. Obviously I’m not telling you that but I will say that it has left me wanting more and I have no doubt it will have the same effect on you!

What an incredible addition to an already outstanding series! I dare say this is even the best one yet and I urge you all to read this series, if you’re not doing so already. I highly recommend it and I can’t wait to see where David Jackson takes DS Nathan Cody next.

With thanks to the publisher for the copy received. I have read three out of the four books in the Nathan Cody series and I recommend that you at least read the first book before reading this one.

This book is slightly different to the others that I have read. The opening murder scene is more gruesome than many and Cody is advised by his superior to stay away from the crime scene. His team are investigating the murder but unusually most of the investigation is carried out by the victim’s widow, Sara.

Sara is more than capable of looking after herself. She is ex-military, afraid of nobody and determined to find out why her husband was murdered. I liked her a lot, even though I did find her a little scary. Despite the often violent scenes hers are the easiest to read. Cody’s problems could have given me sleepless nights.

Cody’s role in the novel is more about his demons, the clowns. It is this part of the novel where you need to be aware of what happened to him previously. I wasn’t sure at first if it was all in his imagination but as the story progressed I realised it was actually happening. It made me dislike clowns more than I already did and it will be a while before I can be in the vicinity of Rodney Street without seeing them.

With reading a lot of crime fiction I sometimes identify a murderer, or see the reasons for the killing. I didn’t this time, it was complicated and a little bit sinister. At times, it felt like closure. I hope it isn’t.

Your Deepest Fear is a tense, nail bitting thriller that I couldn’t put down. It’s one of those books that is easy to get absorbed into as you’d sit down promising yourself you’d just read a few chapters and before you know it’s past midnight!

The story is told from both Sarah’s and Coby’s point of view which makes for very interesting reading as it lets the reader find out more about them. Through this we learn some of the things that Coby is dealing with in his personal life which helped me warm to him as I felt very sympathetic about all he was going through. I enjoyed watching the two story lines joined together and thought the build up to the reveal was fantastically done as it kept me firmly gripped.

There were some fabulous characters in this book who I thoroughly enjoyed reading about. Sarah is a fantastic kick ass heroine and I loved reading her story as she tries to solve the investigation herself. She’s a very fiesty lady and it was great to read about how she handled difficult, dangerous situations. The baddie Waldo was a very frightening, scary character who had me on edge through the book with the mind games that he plays. He helped add a lot of the tension as you weren’t sure what he’d do next.

Although this could be read as a standalone, as I have, it’s probably best to read the books in order so you have a better understanding of the background to the characters. I will definitely be going back to read the other books in the series.

Huge thanks to Tracy Fenton for my copy of this book and to Bonnier for my copy of this book via Netgalley.

Although this is the fourth in a series of books featuring DI Nathan Cody, having not read the first three books, I feel that this worked well as a standalone. Jackson gives enough background information for readers who haven’t read previous books to know what’s going on, so you don’t feel left in the dark.

The book begins with Sara Prior returning from a brief trip home to Copenhagen. She discovers a distressing message on her answerphone from her husband Matthew – the husband who she is deeply in love with, but who for some reason in the past few months became distant and moved out of their shared home, leaving her with a devastating sense of loss. Little does she know how much larger that loss is about to become when she races over to his home, only to discover that he’s been brutally murdered. Who on earth would want to murder her quiet, socially withdrawn husband, let alone in such a cruel and violent manner?

DI Cody is tasked with questioning Sara. Due to involvement in his own psychologically damaging case prior to this one he’s not even permitted to view the crime scene. He’s somehow drawn to Sara though, realising that they both have deep-seated pains that they’re unwilling to reveal to others. What he doesn’t know is how his own past is about to be intertwined with this very case and how the incidents that haunt him during his waking hours – not only in his nightmares – are about to come calling once again. Suffice to say that his fear of clowns isn’t only because of Stephen King!

Sara Prior is downright kickass! I cheered her on every step of the way. She knows what she needs to do and doesn’t waste time getting out there and doing it – but she also knows when to tread lightly. She chooses not to share her own investigation with the police, but inevitably Cody does discover that she is out there on her own mission. He in turn, chooses to keep this from his team. I’m not entirely sure why he does this. I’d like to think it’s because he doesn’t appreciate their opinion of a female being able to get out there and conquer the universe (ok, she doesn’t quite do that, but she is quite a force to be reckoned with!). He is very much at odds with his colleagues who believe that Sara Prior has something to do with Matthew’s murder and is keeping information from them. Yes, she’s definitely hiding things from them, but not what they think.

Jackson perfectly depicts the common beliefs that people hold about gender roles in the police force, especially when it comes to victims and their spouses. It’s almost as if there is the attitude that there is an accepted way to behave and all in that position must comply. Flexibility isn’t something that comes into play here.

Although this book first appears that it might become a police procedural, it never unfolds as such. It is very much a cat and mouse psychological thriller. It’s definitely a page-turner that will keep you reading late at night – with the lights on!

4 chilling stars for this one.

Your Deepest Fear is by David Jackson and I haven’t read any books by him before but will be doing in the future. This is book four in this series and I have to say I don’t think it made that much difference apart from DS Nathan Cody had been brutally attacked in the previous book by a bunch of clowns that killed a fellow DS and chopped for of his toes off!
Sara Prior receives a voicemail from her husband who she is split up from saying “Sara, remember! Victoria and Albert. All I can say they’re here they’re ....” she rushes round to his house he’s living in at the moment and finds him.... well I’ll let you find that out! In steps Liverpool’s police major incident department and DS Nathan Cody to fathom out this very dark and twisty murder.
This was a book that made me fly through the pages and at times is very dark and disturbing, a game of cat and mouse against the time all whilst Cody is on the edge with post traumatic stress from his ordeal in the last book.
I would like to thank Netgalley and Bonnier Zaffre for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.

Confusing and boring. I actually felt my mind wander whilst trying to pay attention to what was happening. I swear I picked this book up like 50 times trying to get into it. I just couldn't.

Your Deepest Fear is a dark and fast paced page turner of a thriller that you won’t want to read on your own late at night. It is the first book I’ve read featuring DS Nathan Cody, but it definitely won’t be my last. As someone who loved David Jackson’s Callum Doyle series of books, I had high hopes for this book and it certainly didn’t disappoint.

Sara Prior receives a cryptic message from her estranged husband shortly before he is found brutally murdered in his own home. Deciding to take the investigation into her own hands, Sara is drawn into a dark and dangerous world that takes her in a shocking direction she would never have expected.

Meanwhile, as DS Nathan Cody and his team try their best to solve the murder themselves, the case gets horrifyingly personal when things take a sudden dark and twisted turn.

What follows is a thrilling and scary tale, full of the twists and turns I’ve come to expect from Jackson’s work. Add into the mix terrifying clowns, something that the mere mention of turns me into a quivering wreck, and you have a thriller to be reckoned with. Brilliantly written, with a superb plot that keeps you guessing throughout, this is a book that kept me reading long into the night, scaring myself silly in the process.

Tension filled and exciting, with a fantastic cast of characters, I will definitely be reading more of this series of books in the future. An addictive rollercoaster of a ride that I thoroughly recommend.

I am a huge fan of this series and had been eager to read this one for ages. I loved the tension in Your Deepest Fear, and I really enjoyed the creepiness of it. Cody has had a hard time of it, and it just proceeds to get worse for him in this book, and I loved it. Excellent premise and really well executed, another cracking addition to the series.

So this is a police procedural, it's actually book four in the series which I didn't initially realise and as such I do think this would be better served read in order as though I enjoyed this and it was well written the current storyline here is very connected and involved with past events.
As I read this myself as a standalone I felt this did affect my overall enjoyment as I felt slightly out of the loop regarding past exposure to certain important key elements.
So this was told from various POV but mostly Sara and Cody.
After Sara's husband is tortured and murdered in a particularly gruesome fashion she is determined to bring her husband's killers to justice.
Also, we have DS Nathan Cody on the case but because of past trauma, he is somewhat of a shell of the man he was.
These two on the surface seem to have nothing in common but Cody himself senses an affinity in Sara that he can relate and almost understand and just got to say I was in awe of Sara; that lady has some series of brass balls loved her so much even if I was a tad sceptical of her ninja skills.
Also, the clown inclusion was well creepy, I am so not a fan of clowns.
So this was fast-paced throughout and as I said I did enjoy this to a certain extent.
I voluntary reviewed a copy of Your Deepest Fear.

Really enjoyed this book. Thanks so much for the advanced copy. I haven’t tried this author before but will be looking out earlier books now! Gripping story with interesting characters. I read quickly.

Where to start with this beauty? David Jackson has delivered a storming read, darker than the average police thriller. Delightfully creepy moments are plentiful as he pits his lead character (Nathan Cody) against his mysterious nemesis – a masked stranger responsible for the death of Cody’s partner and for mutilating Cody himself.

This is the fourth Nathan Cody book. Cody is very much a man defined by his past and as such readers will benefit from reading the earlier titles (A Tapping At My Door, Hope To Die and Don’t Make A Sound). However, everything you need to know about Cody’s background is nicely covered in Your Deepest Fear so there is no chance you will fail to understand the significance of some of the bigger moments in this book.

Cody is investigating a brutal murder. The victim has been subjected to a prolonged attack prior to death which would have meant he suffered greatly before the end. There is nothing in the mans background which would have given cause for suspicion or may have brought him into contact with the ‘wrong types’. So why was this man chosen for such an unpleasant death?

The victim’s widow is also causing problems for Cody. She found her husband’s body after he had left a message/call for help on her answer phone. Contained in the message was a possible clue to identify his killers but she cannot work out what the clue means. At least that is what she is telling Cody.

Despite having a murder to solve Cody is distracted in Your Deepest Fear. This is because his own Deepest Fear is coming back to taunt him. The clowns. The terrifying clowns who tortured Cody and left him broken have returned. Their leader wants to play a game with Cody…the prize is the chance for Cody to discover the identity of his tormentor. But the game will be dangerous and Cody will have a high price to pay for the information he wants.

I don’t know if I can do Your Deepest Fear justice in a review without spoiling too much of the story. It is a wickedly good read. Cody is put through an emotional wringer yet the clowns always seem one step ahead of him. David Jackson has pitched the terror in the cat and mouse game perfectly.

Some books you just don’t want to put down. Count Your Deepest Fear on that list – it has a story guaranteed to draw you in. Simply brilliant.

As a huge fan of thrillers and mysteries, I knew that “Your Deepest Fear” was a book that I really wanted to read. A tense and well-written novel, the story was well executed and the characters were well drawn and interesting.

I would recommend this book, for sure!

I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel at my own request from Bonnier Zaffre via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

What a clever book! Certainly got me thinking.
A little bit more waffle than needed in my opinion, but, that didn't detract from the thrilling crescendo. I DID NOT see the twist at all and had one of those OMGOSH moments at 2am !

Action packed, graphic and got me wanting more.

Your Deepest Fear is the fourth psychological thriller in the DS Nathan Cody series, and what a cracking read it is. It's a long time since I've read a thriller so addictive and intensely gripping the I ended up taking the phone off the hook and ignoring my life for the nail-biting couple of hours I spent enjoying it. It has a dark, disturbing plot with a truly brutal murder and a wonderful mystery about it which stems from the curious message left on the answering machine.

Although part of a (fantastic) series each of these instalments can be read as a standalone as you learn enough information about the recurring characters to understand them nicely. The cast and the story are deepened with every turn of the page and given the number of shocking, exhilarating and truly gobsmacking reveals throughout this is a must-read for crime, mystery, thriller and psychological suspense fans. I cannot wait for the next instalment. More, please! Many thanks to Zaffre for an ARC.

With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an open and honest review.

Your Deepest Fear is the fourth book featuring DS Nathan Cody. if you are new to the series I suggest you start with the first book. This will explain the circumstances that Nathan got his injuries, Nathan`s past relationship with WPC Megan Webley, and the real reason why DCI Stella Blunt is so forgiving of Nathan`s behaviour.

Sara Prior had just returned home from visiting her parents in Copenhagen. At home Sara found a disturbing message from her husband Matthew on her answering machine. Matthew had moved out four months earlier but didn't explain why. When Sara arrived at Matthew`s she found his dead body nailed to the floor and everything in his house damaged.

Before Sara got married she was in the army and skilled in armed combat. After finding a note from Matthew implicating someone called Metro she started her own investigation.

Meanwhile Nathan had just returned to work after suffering serious injuries in his last investigation. His boss DCI Stella Blunt warned him he couldn`t work on active investigations without seeing a psychiatrist. Then after months of receiving silent calls, Nathan`s attacker Waldo rang him with a challenge to catch him.

This was a complex thriller, with several different story lines running through the story. The storyline between Nathan and Waldo was absolutely brilliant. Waldo`s mind games were scary and I could sense Nathan on the brink of insanity.

I liked Sara Prior and I thought the idea to make her an ex soldier was genius. Her fight scenes with Ozone and Metro were a bit farfetched but I just went with the flow and accepted it.

I thought the exchange between Nathan and the owners of Walgrave and Palmer shoemakers was hillarious, and provided some light relief. I was sorry that Webley was only a background character in the story, I hope she will play a larger part in the next book.

I recommend this series, I look forward to book 5.

All I can say is wow what a book! This expertly crafted novel had me in the palm of its hand from the opening moments and I was gripped, hook, line and sinker to each and every word. I simply couldn't put it down and read like a woman possessed, in a reading frenzy, to get to the end and those all important answers.

This cat and mouse narrative was crafted to perfection to create an addictive and fast flowing plot that pulled me into its web of dark and devious endeavours. The spine chilling and blood curdling moments knocked me off balance and had me triple checking the front doors were locked and secure....I mean talk about feelings of unease.

I loved the dual story lines that expertly weaved around each other to create a psychoanalytical web of wonder. The characters were brought to life in vivid detail and I found myself reading with baited breath as I travelled this horrifying road with them. This is my first encounter with DS Cody but it won't be my last as David Jackson has put paid to this fact. His stories are dark and deeply disturbing yet attract in a compelling and addictive manner and I simply have to read more.

Your Deepest Fear is a heart stopping triumph! I was on the edge of my seat more times that I care to admit but couldn't recommend it more. I'm now off to download Jackson's entire back catalogue as he has just inherited a new fan.