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Callum Doyle #2
The Helper
'I can help you, Cal. I can help you solve the murder of Cindy Mellish.' A grisly murder in a shabby New York bookstore seems to hold a special significance for Detective Callum Doyle: the victim's been marked with a message that could have been left specially for him. But why? Then the sinister phone calls start. Doyle is told more deaths are planned but the caller will give him clues on condition he keeps them to himself. So begins his dilemma. If he turns the offer down he will have nothing to go on. But if he accepts and gets it wrong, he will have concealed knowledge that could have stopped a killer. As more deaths follow, increasingly vicious and apparently random, the pressure on Doyle to find a link becomes unbearable. Does he continue to gamble with people's lives? Or must he sacrifice everything to defeat a ruthless and manipulative enemy?
304 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2012
31 people are currently reading
460 people want to read
About the author
David Jackson
16 books514 followersI am the author of a series of crime thrillers featuring Irish-American NYPD Detective Callum Doyle. The first in the series, Pariah, was Highly Commended in the Crime Writers Association Debut Dagger Awards. It is published by Pan Macmillan. The follow-ups are The Helper and Marked, and I am hard at work on the fourth in the series. My writing influences include Ed McBain, Dennis Lehane, George Pelecanos, Robert Crais, Michael Connelly and Harlan Coben, amongst many others. My favourite quote about my work is one from the Guardian, now carried on the front of my novels: 'Recalls Harlan Coben - though for my money Jackson is the better writer.'
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
August 15, 2018
This is the second Callum Doyle novel, and it was another good read. After the events in the first book, Cal has mostly been doing support work for the cases at the Eighth Precinct. When a homicide is reported, Cal is allowed on the case. The victim has a number written in ink on her arm, and Cal recognizes it. This confuses him, and later at home, the killer calls him. He wants to help Cal by giving him clues, and Cal has to figure out what they mean by a deadline or another murder will take place.
I was not happy with Cal for half of this book. He’d been told to tell no one, not even his wife, about the contact from the killer. I was of the opinion that he should have taken this directly to his supervisor, and I thought he was being irresponsible. Cal's worrying, indecision, and panic became tedious, especially when more people are killed. The other cops are getting no where while Cal hides his rogue investigation and keeps getting in deeper and deeper. The author, though, captured my interest in the case. I had to know the resolution. When it came, it was surprise after surprise after surprise and heartbreaking.
I will definitely be reading the third book, and soon!
I was not happy with Cal for half of this book. He’d been told to tell no one, not even his wife, about the contact from the killer. I was of the opinion that he should have taken this directly to his supervisor, and I thought he was being irresponsible. Cal's worrying, indecision, and panic became tedious, especially when more people are killed. The other cops are getting no where while Cal hides his rogue investigation and keeps getting in deeper and deeper. The author, though, captured my interest in the case. I had to know the resolution. When it came, it was surprise after surprise after surprise and heartbreaking.
I will definitely be reading the third book, and soon!
July 27, 2016
What I love about the Callum Doyle series is that all the books can easily be read as stand alone’s. I should know as I have read them all out of sequence by starting with Cry Baby which is the fourth in the series to reading the first, third and then this one. So as you can see, totally out of sequence, which really isn’t like me at all but luckily it didn’t matter that they weren’t read in order and all have been worthy of five stars as have loved them all.
The Helper is quite different to the others in the series. This is due to the killer dropping hints to Cal in order to give him a chance to try and stop the murders before they happen. This not only infuriates Cal but the reader also. You need to be psychic at times I think to work the hints out and understandably Cal is beating himself up when he doesn’t manage to stop them in time.
It felt very much like a cat and mouse game where the killer has the upper hand and is more powerful whilst Cal is the mouse who just seems to be running back and forth with no idea of what is going on but knowing he has to put a stop to it. It is a very fast paced read and very much a race against time to try and stop even more innocent people being killed.
I loved Gonzo’s character in the book. He is a bit of a techno geek who fancies himself as a bit of a detective and gets under Cal’s feet whilst trying to help him solve the murders. It is obvious that Cal finds Gonzo annoying but he can’t help admiring his determination and I think he has a bit of a soft spot for him.
The Helper is yet another griping ride in the series that will have you holding on tight. With shocks and twists a plenty it left me feeling breathless by the end. Loved it!
The Helper is quite different to the others in the series. This is due to the killer dropping hints to Cal in order to give him a chance to try and stop the murders before they happen. This not only infuriates Cal but the reader also. You need to be psychic at times I think to work the hints out and understandably Cal is beating himself up when he doesn’t manage to stop them in time.
It felt very much like a cat and mouse game where the killer has the upper hand and is more powerful whilst Cal is the mouse who just seems to be running back and forth with no idea of what is going on but knowing he has to put a stop to it. It is a very fast paced read and very much a race against time to try and stop even more innocent people being killed.
I loved Gonzo’s character in the book. He is a bit of a techno geek who fancies himself as a bit of a detective and gets under Cal’s feet whilst trying to help him solve the murders. It is obvious that Cal finds Gonzo annoying but he can’t help admiring his determination and I think he has a bit of a soft spot for him.
The Helper is yet another griping ride in the series that will have you holding on tight. With shocks and twists a plenty it left me feeling breathless by the end. Loved it!
July 29, 2012
An anonymous caller is willing to give you clues that will help you solve a series of murders.
But there's a catch: You can't tell anyone about the help you're getting.
What do you do?
If you turn the offer down, you will have nothing to go on, and more people could die. But if you accept it, and fail to interpret the clues correctly, they will still die, and you will have concealed information that could have stopped a killer.
Such is the dilemma faced by New York detective Callum Doyle.
The decision he takes will have consequences that will haunt him for the rest of his life.
My Thoughts -
Lets starts with - I loved it! You want a bit more than that? Ok.
You would think with how well written this book is, that David Jackson is an American, but he's not. I love American crime and Jackson has this nailed. Not only does he deliver a great plot with completely believable characters and locations, but his wit actually had me laughing out loud on several occasions. The dry humour of the NYPD cops is spot on and the hard edged banter is classic. Doyle's thoughts as he meets the computer nerd for the first time make you feel you are there with him. Every sentence feels absolutely considered, but not at a level that it stands out alone, but at a level that it enhances and drags you in, then once it has you in it's grasp it just drags you along and doesn't let go. This is the fastest book I have read in a long time.
The quote on the front of the book by the Guardian is "Recalls of Harlan Coben - though for my money Jackson is the better writer."
If you are a fan of American crime fiction you will love this. If you haven't yet tried it, I suggest this is a book you try first. It will have you hooked.
A brilliant brilliant book.
But there's a catch: You can't tell anyone about the help you're getting.
What do you do?
If you turn the offer down, you will have nothing to go on, and more people could die. But if you accept it, and fail to interpret the clues correctly, they will still die, and you will have concealed information that could have stopped a killer.
Such is the dilemma faced by New York detective Callum Doyle.
The decision he takes will have consequences that will haunt him for the rest of his life.
My Thoughts -
Lets starts with - I loved it! You want a bit more than that? Ok.
You would think with how well written this book is, that David Jackson is an American, but he's not. I love American crime and Jackson has this nailed. Not only does he deliver a great plot with completely believable characters and locations, but his wit actually had me laughing out loud on several occasions. The dry humour of the NYPD cops is spot on and the hard edged banter is classic. Doyle's thoughts as he meets the computer nerd for the first time make you feel you are there with him. Every sentence feels absolutely considered, but not at a level that it stands out alone, but at a level that it enhances and drags you in, then once it has you in it's grasp it just drags you along and doesn't let go. This is the fastest book I have read in a long time.
The quote on the front of the book by the Guardian is "Recalls of Harlan Coben - though for my money Jackson is the better writer."
If you are a fan of American crime fiction you will love this. If you haven't yet tried it, I suggest this is a book you try first. It will have you hooked.
A brilliant brilliant book.
May 27, 2020
Hjælperen er en glimrende efterfølger til Paria. Plottet var godt skruet sammen selvom den grundlæggende historie mindede en del om noget man havde læst/set før. På det punkt fremstår plottet lidt useriøst, men det var stadig behandlet interessant nok til at holde denne læser fanget.
Som man så det i Paria er det helt klart Doyle og hans personlighed, der hæver bogens karakter. Der er dog også drysset en del tør humor udover bogen, hvor specielt den interne politihumor samt Doyles tanker om computernørden Gonzo var meget underholdende. Gonzos desperate forsøg på at hjælpe er virkeligt morsomme.
Bogen er ikke den klassiske pageturner, men holder alligevel et godt tempo. De mere langsomme dele virkede nødvendige for at knytte de forskellige hændelser sammen. At den er skrevet i nutid gør, at man sammen med Doyle forsøger at gennemskue de forskellige ledetråde – selvom vi læsere dog også får et lille indblik i morderens tankegang.
Der er de forventede foruroligende mord, hurtig dialog og overraskende afsløringer. Selvom der var en del fyldstof, så var den samlede oplevelse en veludviklet og spændende historie. Bogen indeholder enkelte tvists som nogle læsere vil finde en smule for forudsigelige, og måske er en del af slutningen lidt for tilfældig – men alt i alt er Hjælperen en anstændig bog, der nok skal underholde.
Som man så det i Paria er det helt klart Doyle og hans personlighed, der hæver bogens karakter. Der er dog også drysset en del tør humor udover bogen, hvor specielt den interne politihumor samt Doyles tanker om computernørden Gonzo var meget underholdende. Gonzos desperate forsøg på at hjælpe er virkeligt morsomme.
Bogen er ikke den klassiske pageturner, men holder alligevel et godt tempo. De mere langsomme dele virkede nødvendige for at knytte de forskellige hændelser sammen. At den er skrevet i nutid gør, at man sammen med Doyle forsøger at gennemskue de forskellige ledetråde – selvom vi læsere dog også får et lille indblik i morderens tankegang.
Der er de forventede foruroligende mord, hurtig dialog og overraskende afsløringer. Selvom der var en del fyldstof, så var den samlede oplevelse en veludviklet og spændende historie. Bogen indeholder enkelte tvists som nogle læsere vil finde en smule for forudsigelige, og måske er en del af slutningen lidt for tilfældig – men alt i alt er Hjælperen en anstændig bog, der nok skal underholde.
June 28, 2016
I know this has really good reviews, but I only got to about page 50 before throwing in the towel. I started this one straight after finishing the first in the series, so my initial response to the unfolding plot line was disbelief. What are the odds that within one year, the main character would be personally targeted by two murderers? I was not able to suspend belief long enough to buy into the premise. Also, his writing style just doesn't do it for me. I had a hard time with his first book, and the same was true for this one. The difference between the two was that the first one didn't present me with the same plot challenges. The third nail in the coffin is that I have a whole whack of summer reading books waiting for me, and I can't be bothered to wait this book out to see if I finally manage to get into it. Moving on...
June 26, 2016
Read the full review at http://rainbowreviews.wix.com/reading... or on Instagram @RainbowReviewsKC
Gut Instinct Rating - 5
Story Line - 5
Writing Style - 4.5
Characters - 5
Excitement Factor - 4.5
Believability for type and topics - 4
Similarity to other books - 4
Cover art - 4
Title Relevance - 5
Goodreads users gave this book a 4.22. I think it was more deserving of a 4.56.
Emoji Meter:
Gut Instinct Rating - 5
Story Line - 5
Writing Style - 4.5
Characters - 5
Excitement Factor - 4.5
Believability for type and topics - 4
Similarity to other books - 4
Cover art - 4
Title Relevance - 5
Goodreads users gave this book a 4.22. I think it was more deserving of a 4.56.
Emoji Meter:
June 22, 2017
It should be called "The Worst Cop in New York." I guess we're somehow supposed to root for a homicide detective who could be this incredibly dimwitted and irresponsible. Instead I found it frustrating to read descriptions of innocent people dying in new and varied ways as a direct result of Doyle's refusal to report what he knows about the killer. It was almost a DNF for me, but I was 85% of the way through, so I kept going.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 28, 2015
Completely mind blown by what happened!! what the hell with the ending?
September 19, 2020
”Hjælperen” er David Jacksons 2. bind i thrillerserien om politibetjenten Callum Doyle. 1. Bind ”Paria” anmeldte jeg for noget tid siden. Du kan læse anmeldelsen af "Paria" her:
https://www.krimiormen.dk/441804173
Dette 2. bind følger fint op på forgængeren.
Jeg vil endda gå så langt som at sige at ”Hjælperen” er et step op i forhold til ”Paria”. Bogen starter med en mand der er inde i en boghandel og studerer ekspedienten. For noget tid siden arbejdede manden på en pigeskole i Paris. Han føler sig tiltrukket af de grimme og stille mennesker.
Hvordan mon de overlever? Hun giver ham lov til at skrive sit telefonnummer på sin arm. Han går amok i en blodrus med sin skalpel. Hun burde have vidst det, tænker han. ”Hjælperen” starter voldsomt, grusomt og blodigt.
Politiassistent af 2. grad Callum Doyle sidder på stationen. Han er igen blevet skubbet ud af centrum af drabsafdelingen og sidder med sager som han synes er mere end kedelige. Efter afslutningen af sagerne i ”Paria” var han ellers lidt på toppen og på talefod md sine kollegaer.
Men nu er han blevet skubbet ud i periferien af efterforskningsenheden igen. Der er sket et frygteligt blodigt mord og det går op for Doyle at de døde betjente fra tidligere stadig spøger i afdelingen. Derfor bliver Doyle ikke rigtigt inddraget i efterforskningen.
Til Doyles overraskelse beder hans chef ham om at deltage i efterforskningen af mordet. Måske er der alligevel en lille chance for, at Doyle igen får lov til at deltage på lige for med sine kollegaer. Den døde pige er den 20-årige Cindy Mellish.
Cindy arbejdede i boghandlen, ved siden af sine studier. Doyle er dog godt klar over, at han nok ikke får en hovedrolle i opklaringen af mordet. Men bare det, at han får lov til at deltage er godt nok for Doyle. På pigens arm er der skrevet et telefonnummer.
Doyle ved at de første 3 tal er landekoden for Irland. Det ved Doyle fordi han er født i Irland. De sidste tal er Doyles telefonnummer. Nu frygter Doyle at han kommer til at spille en hovedrolle i opklaringen af sagen. En hovedrolle som han bestemt ikke ønsker sig.
Ikke på den måde. Pas på med, hvad du ønsker dig, Doyle. Senere bliver Doyle ringet op af en ukendt stemme. Stemmen fortæller Doyle, at han kan hjælpe Doyle ind i varmen igen. Stemmen kan hjælpe Doyle med at opklare sagen, påstår han.
Doyle må dog ikke fortælle en levende sjæl om opkaldet. Doyle kan redde liv ved at indgå aftalen. Nu står Doyle igen i en situation, som han hellere var foruden. Så starter en serie af mord og Callum Doyle kæmper imod tiden og sin egen samvittighed.
”Hjælperen” er smækfyldt med action i en vanvittig spændende og nervepirrende kamp for at få stoppet mordene. Plottet i historien ramte mig nærmest som et chok. På intet tidspunkt havde jeg spottet, hvor historien ville ende.
”Hjælperen” slutter så fantastisk intens, at jeg ønskede at den ikke stoppede. Jeg håber virkelig at vi møder Callum Doyle i et 3. bind også. ”Hjælperen” er vanvittig god underholdning, hvis du er til en spændende, dramatisk og neglebidende thriller.
”Hjælperen” får bestemt mine varmeste anbefalinger med på vejen og fejer ”Paria” ned på den næstbedste placering af de 2 bind om Callum Doyle.
Vurdering: 5/6
Krimiormen.dk
https://www.krimiormen.dk/441804173
Dette 2. bind følger fint op på forgængeren.
Jeg vil endda gå så langt som at sige at ”Hjælperen” er et step op i forhold til ”Paria”. Bogen starter med en mand der er inde i en boghandel og studerer ekspedienten. For noget tid siden arbejdede manden på en pigeskole i Paris. Han føler sig tiltrukket af de grimme og stille mennesker.
Hvordan mon de overlever? Hun giver ham lov til at skrive sit telefonnummer på sin arm. Han går amok i en blodrus med sin skalpel. Hun burde have vidst det, tænker han. ”Hjælperen” starter voldsomt, grusomt og blodigt.
Politiassistent af 2. grad Callum Doyle sidder på stationen. Han er igen blevet skubbet ud af centrum af drabsafdelingen og sidder med sager som han synes er mere end kedelige. Efter afslutningen af sagerne i ”Paria” var han ellers lidt på toppen og på talefod md sine kollegaer.
Men nu er han blevet skubbet ud i periferien af efterforskningsenheden igen. Der er sket et frygteligt blodigt mord og det går op for Doyle at de døde betjente fra tidligere stadig spøger i afdelingen. Derfor bliver Doyle ikke rigtigt inddraget i efterforskningen.
Til Doyles overraskelse beder hans chef ham om at deltage i efterforskningen af mordet. Måske er der alligevel en lille chance for, at Doyle igen får lov til at deltage på lige for med sine kollegaer. Den døde pige er den 20-årige Cindy Mellish.
Cindy arbejdede i boghandlen, ved siden af sine studier. Doyle er dog godt klar over, at han nok ikke får en hovedrolle i opklaringen af mordet. Men bare det, at han får lov til at deltage er godt nok for Doyle. På pigens arm er der skrevet et telefonnummer.
Doyle ved at de første 3 tal er landekoden for Irland. Det ved Doyle fordi han er født i Irland. De sidste tal er Doyles telefonnummer. Nu frygter Doyle at han kommer til at spille en hovedrolle i opklaringen af sagen. En hovedrolle som han bestemt ikke ønsker sig.
Ikke på den måde. Pas på med, hvad du ønsker dig, Doyle. Senere bliver Doyle ringet op af en ukendt stemme. Stemmen fortæller Doyle, at han kan hjælpe Doyle ind i varmen igen. Stemmen kan hjælpe Doyle med at opklare sagen, påstår han.
Doyle må dog ikke fortælle en levende sjæl om opkaldet. Doyle kan redde liv ved at indgå aftalen. Nu står Doyle igen i en situation, som han hellere var foruden. Så starter en serie af mord og Callum Doyle kæmper imod tiden og sin egen samvittighed.
”Hjælperen” er smækfyldt med action i en vanvittig spændende og nervepirrende kamp for at få stoppet mordene. Plottet i historien ramte mig nærmest som et chok. På intet tidspunkt havde jeg spottet, hvor historien ville ende.
”Hjælperen” slutter så fantastisk intens, at jeg ønskede at den ikke stoppede. Jeg håber virkelig at vi møder Callum Doyle i et 3. bind også. ”Hjælperen” er vanvittig god underholdning, hvis du er til en spændende, dramatisk og neglebidende thriller.
”Hjælperen” får bestemt mine varmeste anbefalinger med på vejen og fejer ”Paria” ned på den næstbedste placering af de 2 bind om Callum Doyle.
Vurdering: 5/6
Krimiormen.dk
May 9, 2017
Det. Callum Doyle gets pulled into a murder investigation when he realises the number left written on a victim's arm is his phone number! He then starts receiving calls from a stranger who provides him with vital clues as to the identity of the next victim. Doyle hates playing along, but wants a chance to save a life. However, there appears to be no link between any of the victims and he feels like he's playing with people's lives.
Yes! This is what a serial killer thriller should be! I keep getting scammed by British police procedurals, all exactly the same as each other, selling themselves as serial killer thrillers, but this is the real deal. It's got an interesting, fast-paced story, disturbing murders, snappy dialogue and some surprising plot revelations. By about half way through, I just couldn't put it down! I'll be yawning a lot at work tomorrow because of the missed sleep! There was some padding, and the way , but this was a well-crafted and suspenseful tale! I'm very thrilled to have finally found another 4-star read, especially in the serial killer genre. I borrowed this from the library, and have since found I own two other books in this series! Who would have thought? I'm looking forward to checking them out!
Yes! This is what a serial killer thriller should be! I keep getting scammed by British police procedurals, all exactly the same as each other, selling themselves as serial killer thrillers, but this is the real deal. It's got an interesting, fast-paced story, disturbing murders, snappy dialogue and some surprising plot revelations. By about half way through, I just couldn't put it down! I'll be yawning a lot at work tomorrow because of the missed sleep! There was some padding, and the way , but this was a well-crafted and suspenseful tale! I'm very thrilled to have finally found another 4-star read, especially in the serial killer genre. I borrowed this from the library, and have since found I own two other books in this series! Who would have thought? I'm looking forward to checking them out!
April 5, 2020
Hjælperen er anden bog i serien om Callum Doyle og den er mindst lige så hæsblæsende spændende som ”Paria”. Da politiet finder en myrdet ung kvinde med dele af Callums telefon nummer skrevet på armen, bliver han personligt inddraget i sagen, og da han senere får en skræmmende opringning, vælger han selv at undersøge oplysningerne i stedet for at medinddrage sine kollegaer.
Det er en bog med rigtig mange twists og drejninger og for mig var det umuligt at gætte sammenhængen, samtidig er vi læsere indimellem også inde i hovedet på morderen og får derved en viden som Callum ikke har og jeg fik ind imellem lyst til at råbe ”STOP” rigtig højt 😊
Total overraskende thriller, som er umulig at stoppe med at læse når man får begyndt.
Det er en bog med rigtig mange twists og drejninger og for mig var det umuligt at gætte sammenhængen, samtidig er vi læsere indimellem også inde i hovedet på morderen og får derved en viden som Callum ikke har og jeg fik ind imellem lyst til at råbe ”STOP” rigtig højt 😊
Total overraskende thriller, som er umulig at stoppe med at læse når man får begyndt.
November 21, 2017
Awesome
Another great read by Jackson. Not sure how I felt about the final page but a great read nonetheless. Onto the next.
Another great read by Jackson. Not sure how I felt about the final page but a great read nonetheless. Onto the next.
January 23, 2018
Another excellent book by David Jackson, clever plotting and a good couple of twists at the end.
However, the I wasn't convinced by the final outcome unless it wasn't really as it seems
However, the I wasn't convinced by the final outcome unless it wasn't really as it seems
June 26, 2018
Audio version of this book 📚 A really great listen. Original storyline and great narration. This series gets better and better
February 3, 2019
Shocking, intriguing and mind blowing. Picked it up at a used book store and was not expecting to like this book so much!
February 22, 2019
Audiobook
February 25, 2019
Clever story with nice ending.
April 30, 2019
Clever thriller. Recommended. I thought the main killer was easy to spot and the main character a bit annoying but the book is really well done. Hooks you after the first chapter
Read
July 19, 2020Man flyver gennem denne krimi. Voldsom og oplagt sommerhuslæsnimg
January 1, 2021
4.5🌟🌟🌟🌟
April 24, 2022
En vanvittig spændene historie! En fængslende fortælling med djævelske tvists og fuld af overraskelser og forviklinger. Et hæsblæsende tempo, der kan tage pusten af én og utrolig uforudsigelig!
June 6, 2022
An intriguing story of a brain that felt rejection was bad enough to allow for a little show of power and control. A good read.
February 24, 2023
Callum Doyle encounters a devious criminal who plays with his mind. Clever serial killer mystery.
January 29, 2024
Creepy, but a little too sensational in terms of the violence and creepiness. The end of the book was pretty clever, though I found the broad strokes fairly predictable.
August 13, 2025
David Jackson’s books deserve much more attention. The Helper, the second Callum Doyle book, is a fast-paced, high-stakes thriller that had me hooked from the chilling opening scene in a dusty New York bookstore.
From the moment Detective Callum Doyle arrives at the gruesome murder of Cindy Mellish, it’s clear this is not your typical homicide investigation. The eerie message left behind seems to taunt Doyle personally — and the sinister cat-and-mouse game that follows had me flipping pages way past my bedtime.
What makes this novel enjoyable is the psychological complexity of the premise. When Doyle starts receiving anonymous calls from someone claiming to know about upcoming murders — and offering help, with a dangerous condition — the story takes a fascinating turn. The moral dilemma at the heart of the plot is one that pulled me in: should Doyle act on information privately to potentially stop a killer, or risk lives by following official channels? It’s a nightmarish situation, and Jackson does an excellent job showing Doyle’s internal conflict, guilt, and desperation.
Doyle is a compelling character — flawed, determined, and completely out of his depth. His isolation grows as the caller demands secrecy, and the tension builds with every new victim. There’s a creeping sense of helplessness and dread that runs through the narrative, especially as the murders become more brutal and seemingly unrelated.
The writing is tight, with short, punchy chapters that keep the pace brisk without sacrificing depth. The mysterious antagonist is one of the strongest elements — manipulative, clever, and always one step ahead. I constantly questioned whether Doyle was being led into a trap. While this is undeniably a crime thriller, it also delves into moral uncertainty, manipulation, and the psychological toll of working under extreme pressure. It's not just about solving a murder — it's about confronting the cost of the decisions made along the way.
The Helper is gritty, gripping, and thought-provoking. Fans of police procedurals with a psychological twist will find plenty to enjoy here. If you like a thriller that keeps you guessing — and makes you squirm just a little — this one is definitely worth a read.
https://featzreviews.com/the-helper-b...
From the moment Detective Callum Doyle arrives at the gruesome murder of Cindy Mellish, it’s clear this is not your typical homicide investigation. The eerie message left behind seems to taunt Doyle personally — and the sinister cat-and-mouse game that follows had me flipping pages way past my bedtime.
What makes this novel enjoyable is the psychological complexity of the premise. When Doyle starts receiving anonymous calls from someone claiming to know about upcoming murders — and offering help, with a dangerous condition — the story takes a fascinating turn. The moral dilemma at the heart of the plot is one that pulled me in: should Doyle act on information privately to potentially stop a killer, or risk lives by following official channels? It’s a nightmarish situation, and Jackson does an excellent job showing Doyle’s internal conflict, guilt, and desperation.
Doyle is a compelling character — flawed, determined, and completely out of his depth. His isolation grows as the caller demands secrecy, and the tension builds with every new victim. There’s a creeping sense of helplessness and dread that runs through the narrative, especially as the murders become more brutal and seemingly unrelated.
The writing is tight, with short, punchy chapters that keep the pace brisk without sacrificing depth. The mysterious antagonist is one of the strongest elements — manipulative, clever, and always one step ahead. I constantly questioned whether Doyle was being led into a trap. While this is undeniably a crime thriller, it also delves into moral uncertainty, manipulation, and the psychological toll of working under extreme pressure. It's not just about solving a murder — it's about confronting the cost of the decisions made along the way.
The Helper is gritty, gripping, and thought-provoking. Fans of police procedurals with a psychological twist will find plenty to enjoy here. If you like a thriller that keeps you guessing — and makes you squirm just a little — this one is definitely worth a read.
https://featzreviews.com/the-helper-b...
December 19, 2023
It was okay. It was almost like an online stalker case, and the murder threatening Dolye more murders will happen, and if he doesn't find out who the murderer is.
May 31, 2012
With more twists and turns than snakes on a Waltzer, this is the compelling and equally well-crafted follow up to Jackson's astonishing debut `Pariah'. Once again featuring Detective Callum Doyle what starts out with a seemingly unprovoked attack on a mousy bookshop employee escalates into a great serial killer thriller. As the killer's murder rate escalates with varying methods of despatching his hapless victims, what appears to be a fairly random series of murders escalates into the very real threat of a serial killer stalking the streets of New York with a very specific reason for choosing the victims he does, leaving Doyle mystified by the link that he alone is sure exists and finding himself with his own personal hot-line to said killer. Punctuated by moments of great wry humour mostly at the expense of the cast of clowns that seem to be the stable of Doyle's fellow police officers, Jackson once again balances the tautness of the central investigation with a good dose of New York mordant wit. There is an absolutely terrific reveal at the end which caught me off-guard priding myself as I do as one of those annoying readers that guess the ending and just the right injection of pace that you as the reader (like `Pariah') are striving as much as Doyle to get to the bottom of this rooting-tooting mystery and seeking to unravel the clues in parallel with him. Along with a neatly conjoining plot woven around the aftermath of 9/11 and a mother's search for her daughter, this is certainly a more than entertaining crime thriller that wrong foots you at every turn. My only point of dissent would be the seemingly harmonious atmosphere of Doyle's home-life but maybe that's just because I personally prefer my detectives to be a little more personally tortured to add another facet to their character but this is a minor quibble and should not detract from the overall satisfaction gained by Jackson's excellent plotting and well-drawn cast of characters. Can't wait for the next one...
March 17, 2012
It seems lately that I have moved from reading one genre for a while to reading and reuniting myself with another that I hadn't touched in such an influx as I have lately, that genre is the mystery -serial killer books and of course, the more gruesome the better. Me and my psychotic mind haha.
When a murder takes place in a bookstore in America of a women named Cindy , Detective Callum Doyle (hence the St Patrick's Irish theme) is put on the case and he takes a look but nothing seems out of ordinary until he looks at the phone number written on the deceased's arm , it can't be a simple coincidence. The area code is for Ireland and the last four digits is his New York phone number. Callum dismisses it until that night , he recieves a phone call from the "Killer" who nicknames him "The Helper" and has a proposition of cat and mouse for Callum. Each night he will ring with clues and Callum must solve the clues as they will lead to the next victim and as Callum gets further involved, the killer starts to bring out Callum's personal history, family which drives Callum more to solve it. Can Callum get to the bottom of the case without giving too much away as if his department finds out - it won't be just his job that he will lose .
This was an amazing book and well-written and definitely lived up to it's tagline of giving Harlan Coben ( who I've read everything by) a run for his money. I will be making it a new goal to check out what else David Jackson has written.
When a murder takes place in a bookstore in America of a women named Cindy , Detective Callum Doyle (hence the St Patrick's Irish theme) is put on the case and he takes a look but nothing seems out of ordinary until he looks at the phone number written on the deceased's arm , it can't be a simple coincidence. The area code is for Ireland and the last four digits is his New York phone number. Callum dismisses it until that night , he recieves a phone call from the "Killer" who nicknames him "The Helper" and has a proposition of cat and mouse for Callum. Each night he will ring with clues and Callum must solve the clues as they will lead to the next victim and as Callum gets further involved, the killer starts to bring out Callum's personal history, family which drives Callum more to solve it. Can Callum get to the bottom of the case without giving too much away as if his department finds out - it won't be just his job that he will lose .
This was an amazing book and well-written and definitely lived up to it's tagline of giving Harlan Coben ( who I've read everything by) a run for his money. I will be making it a new goal to check out what else David Jackson has written.
August 14, 2012
I read the Pariah and I expected the same level of action-packed story in this book, and I wasn't disappointed. The story line was intriguing but what really rooted me to the book was the protagonist. Callum Doyle is such a compelling character. His anti-hero sentiment and bad-ass attitude can either turn people off or pull them in. In my case, I love it right down to his devil-may-care attitude.
While this book is not a page turner (some parts were a bit slow but necessary to link the plots together), it does grab your attention with every murder that occurs. It's like watching CSI but through a book. Right until the very end, I somehow got the real perpetrator wrong. Although it was a surprise to me, the twist in the plot, at the same time it was obvious, if you were an observant reader. Which I am not since I focused too much on Callum.
The author, David Jackson has a way in presenting the murders that took place and sometimes I think they are a bit gruesome to my liking but it's realistic in a way that makes you think, 'Oh yeah, these things do happen and what if it happens to me?' Imagine, an ordinary pizza guy who you invite to wait while you get some change turns out to be a serial killer? Oops, that's a bit of a spoiler there.
All in all, a good solid reading. I'll be waiting patiently for the next book in his thriller series.
While this book is not a page turner (some parts were a bit slow but necessary to link the plots together), it does grab your attention with every murder that occurs. It's like watching CSI but through a book. Right until the very end, I somehow got the real perpetrator wrong. Although it was a surprise to me, the twist in the plot, at the same time it was obvious, if you were an observant reader. Which I am not since I focused too much on Callum.
The author, David Jackson has a way in presenting the murders that took place and sometimes I think they are a bit gruesome to my liking but it's realistic in a way that makes you think, 'Oh yeah, these things do happen and what if it happens to me?' Imagine, an ordinary pizza guy who you invite to wait while you get some change turns out to be a serial killer? Oops, that's a bit of a spoiler there.
All in all, a good solid reading. I'll be waiting patiently for the next book in his thriller series.
December 29, 2014
I would rate this 3.5 stars. It's a decent thriller which progresses at a good pace, and I did enjoy it a lot, however I felt the storyline had been done before. A rogue cop gets contacted directly by a man with clues to crimes which the cop has to solve to prevent more deaths. Instead of telling colleagues what's happening he sets off to solve the crimes himself. The plot is a bit silly in that respect, but the descriptions of the crimes are detailed and, as the reader gets to know people before they become victims, we care about what happens to them. However several of the plot twists were predictable (although the revelations at the conclusion were a surprise). I like the sense of satisfaction that comes with guessing correctly what will happen next, but it was frustrating waiting for the main character to catch on. I don't want to give away the ending but it all seemed a bit random. Overall a good read that doesn't require much concentration.
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