The Dangerous Kind

gripping, thriller. after being sent this book in return for an honest review i was hooked. it grips you from the very beginning to the very end. it deals with disturbing content - grooming and paedophiles, but as we know it unfortunately happens in reality. it has so many twists and turns in it that you don't see coming! You feel for the characters in the book as you get to know them. Iwill be recommending it to my friends and can't wait for it to be published. thank you so much Bonnier Zaffre for giving m e the opportunity to read this book and of course to deborah o'connor for writing such an amazing crime thriller.

We are initially told of a scene which occurs between two unknown individuals who appear to know one another, their meeting ends in the most shocking way. From that point the storyline had 100% of my attention, I couldn't wait to see where this psychological thriller was going to take me.

The first known character we are introduced is Jessamine, who is a bbc radio show presenter of a segment concerning retrospectively, called 'Potentially Dangerous People' that delves in to the lives of convicted murderers and with the help of an ex - police officer and a criminologist discuss how their behaviour could have been avoided or if identified early on, could it have potentially prevented the crime from occurring. Jessamine is approached by a big fan of her show, Marnie Clark, who is seeking help to find her friend Cassie Scolari, who has gone missing, possibly at the hands of her physically abusive husband.

The storyline is written in both past and present tense; present day and 2002, where the we follow the life of Rowanda, whom is put into an awful situation by her partner and the person that she loves more than anyone in the world. Reading about her life tugs so hard at the heart strings, the position she was put in and her experiences are shockingly sad.

This whole read is the embodiment of a truly fantastic thriller! Usually i'm asleep by 11pm, 2am for two nights in a row I stayed up to devour this raw read. How I've not read Deborah's 'My Husband's Son' I do not know but it's going straight into my basket and onto my TBR pile. I'd like to know how many hours, days, months of planning went into The Dangerous Kind because it is perfect and engaging.

The storyline was like a train crash (in the best way!) that you just could not look away from... or in this case put down. It's based on a subject that should be brought to societies attention I feel, it's something that has the potential to happen to anybody and I think that brings in the emotional rawness of the read. It's eye opening to say the least.

The primary underlining theme of the storyline is sexual abuse of minors, and the behaviour that goes into such crimes, such as grooming. At parts of the read you can feel yourself getting chilly due to the complete heartbreak that is endured, not just by fictional characters but by real people. A hard hitting storyline!

Great characters, the flicking from past to present, as well as little details, such as family life, helps build both an image of the character in your head but it also tension builds to an extent because you just aren't aware where the hell the story is going! The twists will have you being able to hear your pulse in your ears as well as having your heart pounding!

In three words? Holy forking shirt! - Eleanor, The Good Place

The Dangerous Kind is a thriller for today's society.

Bleak, harrowing, startling, unsettling and downright frightening in places. It deals with areas that are uncomfortable and deeply worrying but it is a worthwhile and perhaps even essential read given that is so well written and plotted.

The characters are well drawn and you identify with them and I found myself enticed into a book which took hold of me and never let go.

The Dangerous Kind. Deborah O’Connor

Two stories, one in the present, one a from few years earlier, both on collision course for an explosive finale.

Jassmine Gooch is a radio journalist working for the BBC. She presents a late night radio show about Potentially Dangerous People. Well she does until she’s sacked for an outburst unbefitting of the BBC.

Jassmine had been approached several times by a woman who is concerned about a missing friend, a friend she feels is being let down by the police who do not appear to be taking her disappearance seriously.

With time on her hands Jasmine decides to look into the missing woman, Cassie Scolari, and stumbles across a juicy mystery that has her considering a new career.

Meanwhile the story that is taking place years before involves Rowena. A girl who is in the care of social services, but who has fallen for a man that grooms her and pimps her out at parties.

Rowena’s story is tragic, a 13 year old girl passed around like a sex toy, but somehow, she is a survivor. She becomes mature before her time and battles to survive.

Meanwhile in the present day Jasmine has decided to turn her investigation into a podcast with the help of a stuttering intern at the BBC. Jitesh is a great character who uses social media to stalk people. He could turn out to be one of the best characters going if this story is the spark for a series.

Between them Jasmine and Jitesh are moving ever closer to finding out what happened to Cassie in a thoroughly enjoyable and very believable story.

It’s hard to review this book without including spoilers.

Deborah O’Connor has found a great character in Jassmine Gooch. A single lady of a certain age that is struggling with the menopause, struggling after losing her job, and struggling with her relationship to her teenage daughter.

Jitesh, a student who has been given an unconditional offer to join Cambridge University, but decides to take a gap year and work as an IT intern at the BBC, is just as good a character. Bullied at school, and suffering from a stutter, he shows a moral strength that leaves the reader no choice but to feel an empathy with him.

The story is original and takes place over a ten year spell. It incorporates the problems that have been uncovered over the last few years about underprivileged children being groomed by certain elements of the community, and the illicit actions of a celebrity.

The story is very on point, up to date, and spine tingling in its reality.

I have no idea if Deborah O’Connor has any intensions of writing more books involving Jessamine and Jitesh but I hope she does.

I will be right at the front of the queue to buy the next instalment.

Pages: 448
Publishers: Zaffre
Publishing date: 16th May 2019

“The Dangerous Kind” held my attention from the outset and kept me reading long into the night. It was intriguing to imagine how the various (seemingly unrelated) threads might end up weaving together. The themes were current and reminiscent of real news stories. Prior to reading the novel, I had never heard the term PDP. It's something I intend to research further as I imagine it's a bit of a minefield. I loved Deborah's writing style and tone so I'll be purchasing a copy of her other book and looking forward to whatever she comes up with next.

My thanks to NetGalley and publisher Bonnier Zaffre for the ARC.
This is a really, really, well-written story and it is because of this I can say I enjoyed reading it. Of course, the subject matter cannot in itself be described as enjoyable, but it has been skilfully woven through this excellent contemporary thriller with a level of sensitivity which avoids any necessity for graphic detail - for which I am grateful.

Jessamine Gooch is 52yrs-old, has a teenaged daughter Sarah whom she adopted at 2yrs-old. She is a BBC presenter of a late-night discussion and call-in programme examining solved violent crimes, to determine the potential of the perpetrator to be a dangerous person and thus avoid the crime in the first place. She also volunteers locally on the help lines for victims of domestic abuse. Sarah's recent moodiness Jessamine puts down to teenage angst, but secretly Sarah has been drawn into an on-line relationship.
The story is split between two timelines - present day with Jessamine and Jitesh - a likeable, stuttering, intern at the BBC who works with the sound engineer, but who knows how to hack into people's email and social media accounts.

Rowena narrates her life from 2002/2003 when she is 13yrs-old. Brought up in a children's home we read her story of being groomed by Sunny - whom she loves and calls her boyfriend. Gradually further exploited and sexually abused at sordid parties Sunny takes her to under the guise of helping him escape some fictitious debt. She really wants it to stop but then Sunny introduces her to a wealthy and well-connected man, Leo, in Oxfordshire. She continues to be abused only now it takes place in beautiful apartments with wealthy and sometimes famous men, taken there by Leo. One night, being driven home by a 'celebrity', he stops at a building for something; worried that his car may be towed Rowena runs inside to find him, only there she witnesses something she wished she hadn't.

Jessmine is approached one evening on the steps to Broadcasting House by Marnie Clark. Her friend Cassie Scolari, mother to Mateo, has been missing for several weeks and asks Jessamine to help as she feared Cassie's abusive husband has something to do with it. Despite initially refusing, Jessamine gets drawn into the detail of Cassie's disappearance when Marnie delivers paperwork to her the next day. Through circumstances (no spoiler), Jessie and Jitish join forces as she produces her own pod-cast detailing Cassie's case and asking the public for any help.

Just what is the connection between Rowena, Cassie and Jessie? Why are there so many problems with the cabling in Jessie's studio at the BBC which Jitish is trying to trace? Who is Sarah secretly talking with?
You just have to read it to find out the answers - and a whole lot more besides. A really clever plot with twists to amaze you. I loved the characters. This was a very emotional and at times heart breaking read and of course very, very real. You cannot help but think of the Bradford (and elsewhere) grooming gangs and the Jimmy Saville enquiry whilst reading this, as well as being aware of many domestic violence cases. Yes, it was uncomfortable reading at times, but so well-written.

There is a flood of thrillers on the market at present but rarely do they have such a well constructed, compulsive story that is fused with allegory, which will make you question those around you; this does so with stunning precision and acute observation of humankind good and bad. Main character Jessamine is an observer of human behaviour and presenter of a radio series on Potentially Dangerous Persons which is a strategy that utilises hindsight to identify early signs of an individual's criminal behaviour and ability to perpetrate a crime. I found Jessamine very intriguing as she had an interest in the same things I do, so as a result, I found it impossible to stop reading despite wanting to savour such a superb novel.

It's a profound look at exploitation and sexual abuse which is deeply disturbing but done sensitively without sensationalising the story or monsters responsible and there are ample shocks and surprises to keep readers entertained. The Dangerous Kind makes for harrowing, hard-hitting and thought-provoking reading and will no doubt make you question more of the world around you. The characterisation is top-notch and the conclusion was satisfying and rather unexpected. Those with interest in thrilling stories, psychology, criminal behaviour and behaviour profiling will find much to enjoy here.

Many thanks to Zaffre for an ARC.