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Jessica Daniel #5
Playing with Fire
Those who play with fire are going to get burned...
Seven years ago Martin Chadwick set fire to a Manchester pub, not knowing a teenager was sleeping inside. Chadwick’s release from prison is imminent, with journalists gearing up for a good old-fashioned media lynching. With the victim’s father telling the papers he is out for revenge, DS Jessica Daniel is left to keep an eye on Chadwick and his fiery eighteen-year-old son.
If that's not enough to keep her occupied, a private investigator is doing a fine job sticking his oar in, it looks like there's a schoolgirl suicide ring in operation, her car is working a little too well, and the endless rain continues to pound her northern home.
Jessica's personal and professional life is in the balance—giving her barely enough time to focus on the person in her midst seemingly intent on burning everything to the ground.
Seven years ago Martin Chadwick set fire to a Manchester pub, not knowing a teenager was sleeping inside. Chadwick’s release from prison is imminent, with journalists gearing up for a good old-fashioned media lynching. With the victim’s father telling the papers he is out for revenge, DS Jessica Daniel is left to keep an eye on Chadwick and his fiery eighteen-year-old son.
If that's not enough to keep her occupied, a private investigator is doing a fine job sticking his oar in, it looks like there's a schoolgirl suicide ring in operation, her car is working a little too well, and the endless rain continues to pound her northern home.
Jessica's personal and professional life is in the balance—giving her barely enough time to focus on the person in her midst seemingly intent on burning everything to the ground.
402 pages, Paperback
First published July 18, 2013
298 people are currently reading
654 people want to read
About the author
Kerry Wilkinson
69 books1,066 followersRecent and upcoming UK releases:
24 October 2023: The Night Of The Sleepover
15 December 2023: After The Sleepover
2024: The Girl On The Side Of The Road
2024: The Missing Body
Kerry Wilkinson has sold more than two million books - and had No.1 crime bestsellers in the UK, Australia, Canada, South Africa and Singapore. He has also written two top-20 thrillers in the United States. His book, Ten Birthdays, won the RNA award for Young Adult Novel of the Year in 2018 and Close To You won the International Thriller Award for best ebook in 2020.
As well as his Jessica Daniel series, Kerry has written a trilogy featuring private investigator Andrew Hunter, the Whitecliff series, the Silver Blackthorn trilogy - a fantasy-adventure serial for young adults - plus numerous standalone novels. He has been published around the world in more than a dozen languages.
Originally from the county of Somerset, Kerry spent way too long living in the north of England, picking up words like 'barm' and 'ginnel'.
When he's short of ideas, he rides his bike, hikes up something, or bakes cakes. When he's not, he writes it all down.
Find out more at: http://kerrywilkinson.com or http://facebook.com/KerryWilkinsonBooks
Find out more at: his website or Facebook
24 October 2023: The Night Of The Sleepover
15 December 2023: After The Sleepover
2024: The Girl On The Side Of The Road
2024: The Missing Body
Kerry Wilkinson has sold more than two million books - and had No.1 crime bestsellers in the UK, Australia, Canada, South Africa and Singapore. He has also written two top-20 thrillers in the United States. His book, Ten Birthdays, won the RNA award for Young Adult Novel of the Year in 2018 and Close To You won the International Thriller Award for best ebook in 2020.
As well as his Jessica Daniel series, Kerry has written a trilogy featuring private investigator Andrew Hunter, the Whitecliff series, the Silver Blackthorn trilogy - a fantasy-adventure serial for young adults - plus numerous standalone novels. He has been published around the world in more than a dozen languages.
Originally from the county of Somerset, Kerry spent way too long living in the north of England, picking up words like 'barm' and 'ginnel'.
When he's short of ideas, he rides his bike, hikes up something, or bakes cakes. When he's not, he writes it all down.
Find out more at: http://kerrywilkinson.com or http://facebook.com/KerryWilkinsonBooks
Find out more at: his website or Facebook
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews
September 3, 2019
If your child was killed in a fire deliberately started by someone and now after the perpetrator spending several years behind bars, but, is now released, would you think that was justice?
This father aims to get his revenge.
This is a very powerful but at times a thought provoking emotive read for any parent.
It doesn’t take long before the media has plenty to report as things take a turn drastically for the worse.
Is all as it seems?
Really got engrossed in this one.
April 13, 2017
The fifth in the series and Jessica is dealing with cold feet. She's also dealing with several cases of arson and teenage suicide and it's impossible to say if these cases are connected or not. For some reason, these cases are affecting her in ways others have not.
I continue to enjoy this series, although this book didn't feel quite as sharp as the prior ones. I had figured out the who in the whodunit early on, unlike his other books. And I didn't care for the mechanism at the end when Jessica knows who she's after but the story is written to keep you in the dark. I'd give this book a 3.5 stars, rounded up to four.
I do like Kerry’s letters at the end of each book, often telling where his inspiration for the book came from. This one was especially interesting as he explains why he was able to get the parts concerning the fire so right.
Thanks to netgalley and Bookouture for an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I continue to enjoy this series, although this book didn't feel quite as sharp as the prior ones. I had figured out the who in the whodunit early on, unlike his other books. And I didn't care for the mechanism at the end when Jessica knows who she's after but the story is written to keep you in the dark. I'd give this book a 3.5 stars, rounded up to four.
I do like Kerry’s letters at the end of each book, often telling where his inspiration for the book came from. This one was especially interesting as he explains why he was able to get the parts concerning the fire so right.
Thanks to netgalley and Bookouture for an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
October 27, 2022
Seven years ago, Martin Chadwick set fire to a pub, not realizing there was someone inside. He’s been released. The victim’s father is out for revenge (understandable) and Martin’s son, who has had a hard time while his son was in prison, is struggling when their property is targeted. Detective Jessica Daniels is assigned to keep an eye out on both of them. There is also another case in the book with a woman who turns up dead. This is the fifth book in the series and took me a little longer to get into than some of the other Jessica Daniels books… I can’t precisely put my finger on what it was. Maybe that the plotting didn’t feel quite as tight early on, so I was struggling to get a handle on where the book was going for a while and then we had so many balls up in the air that at times it felt a little scattered. It was still ultimately an enjoyable police procedural. 4/5 stars.
February 20, 2017
Detective Jessica Daniel returns for her 5th adventure and this one may be the most dangerous yet.
Martin Chadwick has been released from prison, where he had resided for the past 7 years for which he was convicted of starting a fire that killed a young man. The victim's father has threatened ..or promised... revenge. Chadwick's son is now 18 and a very angry young man.
There have now been a series of arson fires.. most notably the Chadwicks' residence, putting Ryan Chadwick at risk.
A girl from Ryan's school was seen with him just hours before she took her own life. Days later her best friend also takes her own life. Jessica is worried about a possible Suicide Club .. but then, again, it could be murder.
The arsonist hits again ... this time the father of one of the dead girls.
And now the arsonist has made it very personal ... someone sets fire to Jessica's own home almost killing her fiancee, Adam.
Of the entire series, this one is the best yet. Very well-written, it holds the reader's attention from the very beginning and doesn't stop until the very explosive conclusion.
Jessica and her team have matured along the way with Jessica still being the tough-as-nails cop with an attitude, but with the advent of her fiancee, her edges have softened. I enjoy how they interact with each other .. and I loved seeing a personal side to her life.
The book seems to move rapidly, from one thrilling crime to another. There are a couple of new characters introduced ... one is a new investigative journal, the other is a private detective who hasn't decided what he wants to be when he grow up.
As always, I highly recommend starting at Book 1, but this one works fine as a stand-alone.
Many thanks to the author / Bookouture / Netgalley for the digital copy of PLAYING WITH FIRE. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
Martin Chadwick has been released from prison, where he had resided for the past 7 years for which he was convicted of starting a fire that killed a young man. The victim's father has threatened ..or promised... revenge. Chadwick's son is now 18 and a very angry young man.
There have now been a series of arson fires.. most notably the Chadwicks' residence, putting Ryan Chadwick at risk.
A girl from Ryan's school was seen with him just hours before she took her own life. Days later her best friend also takes her own life. Jessica is worried about a possible Suicide Club .. but then, again, it could be murder.
The arsonist hits again ... this time the father of one of the dead girls.
And now the arsonist has made it very personal ... someone sets fire to Jessica's own home almost killing her fiancee, Adam.
Of the entire series, this one is the best yet. Very well-written, it holds the reader's attention from the very beginning and doesn't stop until the very explosive conclusion.
Jessica and her team have matured along the way with Jessica still being the tough-as-nails cop with an attitude, but with the advent of her fiancee, her edges have softened. I enjoy how they interact with each other .. and I loved seeing a personal side to her life.
The book seems to move rapidly, from one thrilling crime to another. There are a couple of new characters introduced ... one is a new investigative journal, the other is a private detective who hasn't decided what he wants to be when he grow up.
As always, I highly recommend starting at Book 1, but this one works fine as a stand-alone.
Many thanks to the author / Bookouture / Netgalley for the digital copy of PLAYING WITH FIRE. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
February 27, 2017
Oh, that ending. It came out of nowhere, but in a good way. I wasn't expecting it at all. While this book can be enjoyed as a standalone, I really recommend starting from the beginning as I have. They're all good books and seem to be getting better as they go along. The characters are very rich and I've come to have a sense of knowing them. They continue to change and evolve through the books, though Jessica Daniels continues to have that edge to her.
Martin Chadwick has just been released from prison. In a private moment between him and Jessica Daniel, he seems to greatly regret the actions that led to the death of a young man. He set a fire to a pub that he thought was empty, earning him seven years in prison. His release has been covered in the paper, and it including a quote from the young man's father that sounded vaguely threatening. While Martin seems to simply want to get back to a semi-normal life with his teenage son, that may be impossible. Someone is setting buildings on fire again, and no one can figure out how they're connected. Jessica doesn't believe it's Martin, but is suspicious of his teenage son who appears to be a quite angry young man. Then there's the father of the man who lost his life years ago... could he be setting them hoping Martin will get the blame?
The story also deals with Jessica's personal life: her marriage to the job, her new engagement to Adam, and her reluctance to plan the wedding or set a date. She's starting to have doubts about the whole thing, and can't understand why. As usual, she throws herself into her work. In addition to the fires, two young women who knew each other have killed themselves and no one can figure out why or if more suicides will come. She also begins to work with a new character, PI Andrew Hunter. I hope to get more background information about him in later books, he's very likeable.
Very fast paced and well written. Jessica is brilliant and snarky as usual, and I always enjoy the other characters as well. I'm looking forward to continuing the series!
I received an ARC of this book from Net Galley and Bookouture, thank you! My review is honest and unbiased.
Martin Chadwick has just been released from prison. In a private moment between him and Jessica Daniel, he seems to greatly regret the actions that led to the death of a young man. He set a fire to a pub that he thought was empty, earning him seven years in prison. His release has been covered in the paper, and it including a quote from the young man's father that sounded vaguely threatening. While Martin seems to simply want to get back to a semi-normal life with his teenage son, that may be impossible. Someone is setting buildings on fire again, and no one can figure out how they're connected. Jessica doesn't believe it's Martin, but is suspicious of his teenage son who appears to be a quite angry young man. Then there's the father of the man who lost his life years ago... could he be setting them hoping Martin will get the blame?
The story also deals with Jessica's personal life: her marriage to the job, her new engagement to Adam, and her reluctance to plan the wedding or set a date. She's starting to have doubts about the whole thing, and can't understand why. As usual, she throws herself into her work. In addition to the fires, two young women who knew each other have killed themselves and no one can figure out why or if more suicides will come. She also begins to work with a new character, PI Andrew Hunter. I hope to get more background information about him in later books, he's very likeable.
Very fast paced and well written. Jessica is brilliant and snarky as usual, and I always enjoy the other characters as well. I'm looking forward to continuing the series!
I received an ARC of this book from Net Galley and Bookouture, thank you! My review is honest and unbiased.
February 14, 2017
Another brilliant book in a brilliant series! I have read every single one so far and have loved each one. The author raises the bar with each book and the series keeps getting better and better. It is wonderful to watch Jessica Daniel mature with each book - amazing series, one of my favourites by far. Cannot wait for the next!
March 9, 2018
Another decent police procedural in the Jess Daniel series, the story not as powerful as previous books, and the deduction to find the main culprit is a little weak
February 6, 2020
Playing with Fire is a really good installment in the Jessica Daniel Series. The mystery storyline was good, and really kept me guessing as to what happened and who might be behind it.
There were some things going on with Jessica physically that had me worried, mostly because of the so frequent mention. Especially near the end, after a traumatic occurrence, some new issues with her seemed very concerning. It will be interesting to see if these things are still going on in the next book.
This one was a pretty complicated plot. It dealt with teen suicides, fires set by arson, and much more. I continue to really like Jessica, although I was a little frustrated with her in this one due to an inappropriate attraction she felt. I liked her friendship/working relationship with the new character, private investigator Andrew. This was probably my favorite book of the series so far, and I'm really looking forward to continuing on.
There were some things going on with Jessica physically that had me worried, mostly because of the so frequent mention. Especially near the end, after a traumatic occurrence, some new issues with her seemed very concerning. It will be interesting to see if these things are still going on in the next book.
This one was a pretty complicated plot. It dealt with teen suicides, fires set by arson, and much more. I continue to really like Jessica, although I was a little frustrated with her in this one due to an inappropriate attraction she felt. I liked her friendship/working relationship with the new character, private investigator Andrew. This was probably my favorite book of the series so far, and I'm really looking forward to continuing on.
January 3, 2014
Another cracking story from Manchester. I won't spoil it for you by giving away the ending, but it's a series worth a look. Jessica Daniel's Isn't perfect but she's the sort of character you want to spend time with.
March 17, 2017
Read all my reviews on my blog at: https://brainfartsandbooks.wordpress.com
This one slipped right under that 4 star rating because of the ending. That’s right, the ending. I guessed it but I didn’t want my guess to be right because it was so obvious (to me, anyway). The mystery was solved really quickly in the last 12% of the book. Up to that moment, the book was 5 stars all the way. Should you read it? Yes. I absolutely love the main character Jessica Daniel. But expect it to be like a big ass piece of cheesecake. At the end, you’re just eating it to finish it. Savor the beginning and the middle…umm and that graham cracker crust, but don’t expect a grand finale of any sort.
Thank you to Kerry Wilkinson, Bookouture, and NetGalley for my free copy in exchange for an honest review.
This one slipped right under that 4 star rating because of the ending. That’s right, the ending. I guessed it but I didn’t want my guess to be right because it was so obvious (to me, anyway). The mystery was solved really quickly in the last 12% of the book. Up to that moment, the book was 5 stars all the way. Should you read it? Yes. I absolutely love the main character Jessica Daniel. But expect it to be like a big ass piece of cheesecake. At the end, you’re just eating it to finish it. Savor the beginning and the middle…umm and that graham cracker crust, but don’t expect a grand finale of any sort.
Thank you to Kerry Wilkinson, Bookouture, and NetGalley for my free copy in exchange for an honest review.
February 24, 2017
Received this ebook from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!
It's Book 5 and I swear I only fall more in love with this series with every book I read! I don't know if these books are just being translated and that's why all of them are not on netgalley but if they were all on here i would read nothing but this series!!! I love it, I love all the characters, I love the action, the suspense, I swear this series has it all! It has everything i want in a book and I really feel completely satisfied after reading a Jessica Daniel's book, If you knew me you would know how surprising that really is!! Kerry is a genius in my opinion!
So i figured out who it was way before Jessica did, which i haven't been able to do in her books in a while, but that did NOT take away from the book at all, I was still hanging on every word right up until they caught him! I love that this book was double the action, double the suspense, double the anticipation! Even though it turns out the two cases weren't related it still made for a really thrilling fast paced read to figure out who did what with whom and why! I don't want to give away too much incase anyone reads this before they read the book but in a way it turns out the fire was a good thing, it set Jessica back on the right path and made her realize she didn't want to live in a world without Adam any longer! They say everything happens for a reason!
I will be not so patiently waiting til netgalley gets the next book up and will be looking for anything by Kerry Wilkinson in the future! I love this series and am so glad i found it, hoping he has many more for me to read in the future!
It's Book 5 and I swear I only fall more in love with this series with every book I read! I don't know if these books are just being translated and that's why all of them are not on netgalley but if they were all on here i would read nothing but this series!!! I love it, I love all the characters, I love the action, the suspense, I swear this series has it all! It has everything i want in a book and I really feel completely satisfied after reading a Jessica Daniel's book, If you knew me you would know how surprising that really is!! Kerry is a genius in my opinion!
So i figured out who it was way before Jessica did, which i haven't been able to do in her books in a while, but that did NOT take away from the book at all, I was still hanging on every word right up until they caught him! I love that this book was double the action, double the suspense, double the anticipation! Even though it turns out the two cases weren't related it still made for a really thrilling fast paced read to figure out who did what with whom and why! I don't want to give away too much incase anyone reads this before they read the book but in a way it turns out the fire was a good thing, it set Jessica back on the right path and made her realize she didn't want to live in a world without Adam any longer! They say everything happens for a reason!
I will be not so patiently waiting til netgalley gets the next book up and will be looking for anything by Kerry Wilkinson in the future! I love this series and am so glad i found it, hoping he has many more for me to read in the future!
December 7, 2020
Brilliant read, I didn’t realise is was part of a series, will be reading the ones before this one. This kept me gripped and the twist I didn’t even work out. Highly recommend
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February 19, 2017This fifth in the DS Jessica Daniel series features arson and suicide with these two complicated cases showing us more about this detective where "everything about her personality was to act first and think later."
Martin Chadwick is released from prison after serving time for starting a fire in a pub that ending up killing a young man. That young man's father, Anthony Thompson, wants revenge. In the other situation, two young girls commit suicide. The cases are unrelated but Jessica is involved with both.
Meanwhile she is learning to live with Adam as they contemplate a future together though Jessica is not that keen to go ahead with a wedding. More fires...who is setting them, and why? Jessica again finds herself in peril when it it all comes too close to home.
I like the characters and the evolution of Jessica's personality as she begins to mature and grow into her job. She's still a maverick and keeps too much to herself and that always puts her in danger. The one thing I did not like is that the author uses a device of hiding the reveals from the reader and dangling "what Jessica figured out" before finally getting that information to us a chapter or so later. I like to know what Jessica knows right when she knows it and then watch how she acts -- not evaluate it all after the fact. Other than that, I like the writing and the structure. I wouldn't really call this a thriller, more a police procedural. This wasn't a particularly suspenseful read, but I enjoyed the guessing about what was going on with these cases.
Can't wait for the next one in the series as I do like the setting and the stories. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for always granting me the e-book ARC for reviews.
Martin Chadwick is released from prison after serving time for starting a fire in a pub that ending up killing a young man. That young man's father, Anthony Thompson, wants revenge. In the other situation, two young girls commit suicide. The cases are unrelated but Jessica is involved with both.
Meanwhile she is learning to live with Adam as they contemplate a future together though Jessica is not that keen to go ahead with a wedding. More fires...who is setting them, and why? Jessica again finds herself in peril when it it all comes too close to home.
I like the characters and the evolution of Jessica's personality as she begins to mature and grow into her job. She's still a maverick and keeps too much to herself and that always puts her in danger. The one thing I did not like is that the author uses a device of hiding the reveals from the reader and dangling "what Jessica figured out" before finally getting that information to us a chapter or so later. I like to know what Jessica knows right when she knows it and then watch how she acts -- not evaluate it all after the fact. Other than that, I like the writing and the structure. I wouldn't really call this a thriller, more a police procedural. This wasn't a particularly suspenseful read, but I enjoyed the guessing about what was going on with these cases.
Can't wait for the next one in the series as I do like the setting and the stories. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for always granting me the e-book ARC for reviews.
February 20, 2017
We are now on book number 5. In this book Jessica is engaged to Adam. Adam is keen to set a wedding date, but Jessica seems less keen. At work she is investigating two teenage suicides and a series of arson attacks. There’s no reason why they would be linked but Jessica has a feeling that they are. Also running alongside all this, Martin Chadwick, a convicted arsonist, is released from prison and is the victim of a series of crimes. The father of the boy that Chadwick killed in a fire that he set is set on revenge – is it him that is doing all this or is everything being stirred up by some news articles written by the new local journalist.
We are also introduced in this book to Andrew Hunter. Andrew is a private investigator who has been hired by a worried father to find out who got his daughter pregnant. Andrew, so I’ve worked out, also features in his own series by the same author – a series which I will have to start when I’ve worked my way through the other 6 books in this series!!
I didn’t feel that this book started as good as the others. It felt a bit slow for me, in parts at the beginning, hence the 4 stars. It got almost half way before I felt the pace pick up and the story got going. I still love Jessica Daniels, and probably will right through to the end of the series, unless she does something really bad!! I love how we get to see a bit more to Dave Rowlands in this book, and how he obviously has feelings for Jessica – will we see more of this in the following books?!
Again, another great book from Mr Wilkinson (I’ll forgive you for the slower start!). I have the next book ready and waiting!! Roll on book 6!
We are also introduced in this book to Andrew Hunter. Andrew is a private investigator who has been hired by a worried father to find out who got his daughter pregnant. Andrew, so I’ve worked out, also features in his own series by the same author – a series which I will have to start when I’ve worked my way through the other 6 books in this series!!
I didn’t feel that this book started as good as the others. It felt a bit slow for me, in parts at the beginning, hence the 4 stars. It got almost half way before I felt the pace pick up and the story got going. I still love Jessica Daniels, and probably will right through to the end of the series, unless she does something really bad!! I love how we get to see a bit more to Dave Rowlands in this book, and how he obviously has feelings for Jessica – will we see more of this in the following books?!
Again, another great book from Mr Wilkinson (I’ll forgive you for the slower start!). I have the next book ready and waiting!! Roll on book 6!
February 26, 2017
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. I am so glad I found this author through Netgalley! This series just keeps getting better and better with each book. The stories are not only beyond interesting but creative and suspenseful and I just fly right through them because the writing and the characters are just that good! While these books can be read as a stand alone, I highly recommend reading the whole series. I am very much looking forward to the next book in this series!
July 23, 2013
Another great book by Kerry Wilkinson in the Jessica Daniels series. Jessica, a Detective Sergeant in Manchester, is trying to solve the case of a series of house fires in her area. Fast paced and full of suspense and action and great to see the progression of the relationships between the main characters of the book. I personally found the book quite scary (not in a spooky way) because of the house fires; I have always had a bit of thing about fire and being a victim of a house fire has always been a fear of mine. No Hugo this time round which was a shame as I like him as a character. As always I love the interactions between Jessica and Dave and when they get together with Izzy. Can't wait for the next one!
February 22, 2017
3 stars
Jessica Daniels is making her way through book five. In this book, she is investigating a pair of suicides and some arson fires.
As usual, we learn a little more about Jessica’s life; her engagement to her boyfriend, her reluctance to set a date for the wedding, her getting on with her job.
Although the book is well written, a plot device that simply doesn’t work for me is telling the reader that Jessica has an “ah ha” moment, but not telling us what the “ah ha” is about. It simply drives me crazy. Because of this device, I rated the book lower than I would have otherwise.
I want to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for forwarding to me a copy of this book to read.
Jessica Daniels is making her way through book five. In this book, she is investigating a pair of suicides and some arson fires.
As usual, we learn a little more about Jessica’s life; her engagement to her boyfriend, her reluctance to set a date for the wedding, her getting on with her job.
Although the book is well written, a plot device that simply doesn’t work for me is telling the reader that Jessica has an “ah ha” moment, but not telling us what the “ah ha” is about. It simply drives me crazy. Because of this device, I rated the book lower than I would have otherwise.
I want to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for forwarding to me a copy of this book to read.
April 27, 2017
Really enjoying this series and can't believe that I have just finished reading book five already! I love Jessica's complicated character and nature and how she interacts with her colleagues. This book covered some tough subjects but with a light touch in between and I thoroughly enjoyed it - looking forward to starting book six - 4 stars from me
May 29, 2017
Excellent story line, great book, fab writer!
March 25, 2022
Detektyw Jessica Daniels powróciła! I to w jakim stylu🔥 Według nas jest to najlepsza część z tej serii. Mocny kryminał, który wręczy wam dawkę policyjnego śledztwa.
Witamy Was serdecznie i zapraszamy na recenzje książki "Zabawa z ogniem" od Wydawnictwa Dragon oraz Kerry Wilkinson.
"Chociaż był wieczór Jessica poczuła się jak o poranku w Menchesterze, kiedy to po przebudzeniu za oknem widać ciężką mgłę, a na szybach skrapla się para wodna. Różnica polegała na zapachu. Nawet przy zamkniętych otworach wentylacyjnych samochodu było czuć fetor spalenizny"
Martin Chadwick właśnie wychodzi z więzienia po siedmioletniej odsiadce. Mężczyzna podpalił bar. Niestety nie wiedział, że w środku znajdował się pewnien chłopak. Detektyw Jessica Daniels dostaje zadanie przypilnowania, żeby mężczyźnie nie stała się krzywda, gdyż po tym incydencie ma wielu wrogów, szczególnie ojca zabitego chłopaka. Czy życie mężczyzny jest zagrożone? Co będzie musiała zrobić detektyw?
Kochani na początek chcemy wspomnieć, że uwielbiamy tę serię i długo na nią czekałyśmy. Plusem jest to, że książkę "Zabawa z ogniem" można przeczytać jako osobną część bez znajomości reszty, wszystko jest wytłumaczone oraz postacie są dosyć dokładnie przedstawione. My już ją znamy, więc nam się wspaniale ją czytało. Mamy kilka swoim "ale" co do książki, ale o tym później. Teraz skupimy się na plusach.
Z pewnością fabuła to najlepsza część tej książki, chociaż wydawało by się, że jest to zwykle prowadzone śledztwo przez detektyw, to jednak według nas jest to zawiła historia z głębokim dnem. Można powiedzieć, że ta książka opiera się na dosyć "gorącej" przeszłości i jeszcze bardziej gorętszej przyszłości. Podpalenia, tajemnicze samobójstwo i gniewny nastolatek oraz zagadka do rozwiązania to motyw przewodni tej opowieści. Jeżeli jesteście, więc fanami opowieści kryminalnych, które wciągają od pierwszych stron, to musicie poznać całą tę serię.
Główną bohaterkę polubiłyśmy już od pierwszej części, jest dosyć zmienną postacią. Zmienność wynika nie ze złego charakteru lecz z tego, że z jednej strony jest emocjonalną, normalną osobom, ale gdy chodzi o pracę, zamienia się w lwice, oczywiście potrafi połączyć pracę z życiem osobistym, jednak średnio jej to wychodzi.
Książkę przeczytałyśmy dosyć szybko i przyjemnie. Język, którym została napisana bardzo nam odpowiada. Jednak jest coś co nam się nie podobało. Ilość tekstu na jednej stronie. W poprzednich częściach było go znacznie mnie i lepiej to wyglądało. Natomiast przy tej części było go za dużo i opisy przez to wydawały się dosyć długie. Ale nie martwcie się, bo fabuła nadrabiała wszystko inne.
Stwierdziłyśmy na początku, że jest to najlepsza część i się tego trzymamy. Według nas historia jest najciekawsza, bardzo fajnie opisana, zaskakująca i zaskakuje swoją tajemniczością.
Polecamy wam ją serdecznie :)
Witamy Was serdecznie i zapraszamy na recenzje książki "Zabawa z ogniem" od Wydawnictwa Dragon oraz Kerry Wilkinson.
"Chociaż był wieczór Jessica poczuła się jak o poranku w Menchesterze, kiedy to po przebudzeniu za oknem widać ciężką mgłę, a na szybach skrapla się para wodna. Różnica polegała na zapachu. Nawet przy zamkniętych otworach wentylacyjnych samochodu było czuć fetor spalenizny"
Martin Chadwick właśnie wychodzi z więzienia po siedmioletniej odsiadce. Mężczyzna podpalił bar. Niestety nie wiedział, że w środku znajdował się pewnien chłopak. Detektyw Jessica Daniels dostaje zadanie przypilnowania, żeby mężczyźnie nie stała się krzywda, gdyż po tym incydencie ma wielu wrogów, szczególnie ojca zabitego chłopaka. Czy życie mężczyzny jest zagrożone? Co będzie musiała zrobić detektyw?
Kochani na początek chcemy wspomnieć, że uwielbiamy tę serię i długo na nią czekałyśmy. Plusem jest to, że książkę "Zabawa z ogniem" można przeczytać jako osobną część bez znajomości reszty, wszystko jest wytłumaczone oraz postacie są dosyć dokładnie przedstawione. My już ją znamy, więc nam się wspaniale ją czytało. Mamy kilka swoim "ale" co do książki, ale o tym później. Teraz skupimy się na plusach.
Z pewnością fabuła to najlepsza część tej książki, chociaż wydawało by się, że jest to zwykle prowadzone śledztwo przez detektyw, to jednak według nas jest to zawiła historia z głębokim dnem. Można powiedzieć, że ta książka opiera się na dosyć "gorącej" przeszłości i jeszcze bardziej gorętszej przyszłości. Podpalenia, tajemnicze samobójstwo i gniewny nastolatek oraz zagadka do rozwiązania to motyw przewodni tej opowieści. Jeżeli jesteście, więc fanami opowieści kryminalnych, które wciągają od pierwszych stron, to musicie poznać całą tę serię.
Główną bohaterkę polubiłyśmy już od pierwszej części, jest dosyć zmienną postacią. Zmienność wynika nie ze złego charakteru lecz z tego, że z jednej strony jest emocjonalną, normalną osobom, ale gdy chodzi o pracę, zamienia się w lwice, oczywiście potrafi połączyć pracę z życiem osobistym, jednak średnio jej to wychodzi.
Książkę przeczytałyśmy dosyć szybko i przyjemnie. Język, którym została napisana bardzo nam odpowiada. Jednak jest coś co nam się nie podobało. Ilość tekstu na jednej stronie. W poprzednich częściach było go znacznie mnie i lepiej to wyglądało. Natomiast przy tej części było go za dużo i opisy przez to wydawały się dosyć długie. Ale nie martwcie się, bo fabuła nadrabiała wszystko inne.
Stwierdziłyśmy na początku, że jest to najlepsza część i się tego trzymamy. Według nas historia jest najciekawsza, bardzo fajnie opisana, zaskakująca i zaskakuje swoją tajemniczością.
Polecamy wam ją serdecznie :)
May 28, 2017
So, we meet again with Detective Jessica Daniel, in this fifth book of the series.
I followed this detective since the first book and it was interesting how she evolved from the unexperienced detective to what she became now, without loosing the "charm" of her maddening personality.
The story begins with the release of a Martin Chadwick, who, 7 years ago, set an empty pub on fire accidentally killing a young men. The victim's father was still holding a grudge, Martin's son had his share of suffering also, and everyone was on edge!
But, then one girl commited suicide, and then another. And there was a fire, and then another, and another. And everything led back to the same person.
I enjoyed the story and how it developped. I also enjoyed the confusion created by the lack of any connection between the different accidents.
As i already said, i felt that Jessica matured between the different books, but i still feel that she sometimes seemed a bit irresponsible.
I was surprised by the end, I did not expect it, but it made sense.
and i would recommend this book.
I got this copy through NetGalley.
I followed this detective since the first book and it was interesting how she evolved from the unexperienced detective to what she became now, without loosing the "charm" of her maddening personality.
The story begins with the release of a Martin Chadwick, who, 7 years ago, set an empty pub on fire accidentally killing a young men. The victim's father was still holding a grudge, Martin's son had his share of suffering also, and everyone was on edge!
But, then one girl commited suicide, and then another. And there was a fire, and then another, and another. And everything led back to the same person.
I enjoyed the story and how it developped. I also enjoyed the confusion created by the lack of any connection between the different accidents.
As i already said, i felt that Jessica matured between the different books, but i still feel that she sometimes seemed a bit irresponsible.
I was surprised by the end, I did not expect it, but it made sense.
and i would recommend this book.
I got this copy through NetGalley.
April 22, 2020
This is book number five in the series to feature DS Jessica Daniel. The story revolves around a series of fires and the deaths of young girls.
I haven't read any books by this author before. My problem was that this book is number five and I do prefer to read books in order. The actual book itself could quite easily be read as a stand alone. My issue when I don't read in order is that I don't connect with the characters. I like to know them and what is going on in their lives.
The story itself is police procedure and I don't always enjoy that type of book. It has to have either very likeable characters such as Tom Thorne in the Mark Billingham books or a gripping plot like some of the Roy Grace books by Peter James. This book for me had neither. Perhaps reading in order may have changed that for me.
I did find myself getting very bored very quickly with this book and I did skip some parts just to get to the end. A little disappointed with this read.
I haven't read any books by this author before. My problem was that this book is number five and I do prefer to read books in order. The actual book itself could quite easily be read as a stand alone. My issue when I don't read in order is that I don't connect with the characters. I like to know them and what is going on in their lives.
The story itself is police procedure and I don't always enjoy that type of book. It has to have either very likeable characters such as Tom Thorne in the Mark Billingham books or a gripping plot like some of the Roy Grace books by Peter James. This book for me had neither. Perhaps reading in order may have changed that for me.
I did find myself getting very bored very quickly with this book and I did skip some parts just to get to the end. A little disappointed with this read.
March 2, 2017
Playing with fire by KerryWilkinson is a mystery and thriller and general fiction (adult) read.
Martin Chadwick is about to be released from prison, seven years after setting fire to a pub, killing a teenage boy. But the victim’s father doesn’t believe justice has been served. He wants retribution.
A media storm is swirling and it’s not long before journalists have a story to follow. First, a series of arson attacks and Martin Chadwick’s own son, Ryan, is at risk.
This was a fantastic read with brilliant characters. I love kerrys books.
I love jessica. She is still my favourite character. Do hope there is more to come. Highly recommended. 5*. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book from netgalley.
Martin Chadwick is about to be released from prison, seven years after setting fire to a pub, killing a teenage boy. But the victim’s father doesn’t believe justice has been served. He wants retribution.
A media storm is swirling and it’s not long before journalists have a story to follow. First, a series of arson attacks and Martin Chadwick’s own son, Ryan, is at risk.
This was a fantastic read with brilliant characters. I love kerrys books.
I love jessica. She is still my favourite character. Do hope there is more to come. Highly recommended. 5*. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book from netgalley.
January 16, 2021
What can I say? I am a huge fan of Kerry Wilkinson. Love this series!
August 1, 2013
A good book, but a little slow I think.
I'm a great fan of the Jessica Daniels series and I've loved the main character from the start. Jessica is a tough, no nonsense, solve-the-case-no matter-where-the-evidence-comes-from type of gal and I've found the final parts of all the books the best where the bad guy is revealed. Kerry Wilkinson is talented in how he weaves all the subplots together in an unexpected twist at the end.
The last couple of books were a bit slow towards the middle and I was hoping Playing with Fire would have oomph all the way through, but sadly it too lost momentum about half way through. It picked up dramatically in the last 20 % and I found myself staying up into the early morning hours to finish it off.
Jessica is, it seems, not so very happy engaged to Adam, who is keen to set a wedding date. Concurrently, she is investigating two teenage suicides and two arson cases that seem to be linked. As she starts to unravel the mysteries, she too becomes a victim of crime and finds herself trapped in a burning house. Wilkinson very skilfully described how Jessica felt after inhaling the grey smoke seeping into her bedroom, and I found myself struggling to breathe as I read through that part of the book. It was vividly described, very detailed, scary and believable and I found myself nervously eyeing my smoke detector.
All in all this is a good book and I'm looking forward to Thicker than Water, the next Jessica Daniel installment. Hopefully our heroine is happily married and has a little'un on the way! I can't wait!
I'm a great fan of the Jessica Daniels series and I've loved the main character from the start. Jessica is a tough, no nonsense, solve-the-case-no matter-where-the-evidence-comes-from type of gal and I've found the final parts of all the books the best where the bad guy is revealed. Kerry Wilkinson is talented in how he weaves all the subplots together in an unexpected twist at the end.
The last couple of books were a bit slow towards the middle and I was hoping Playing with Fire would have oomph all the way through, but sadly it too lost momentum about half way through. It picked up dramatically in the last 20 % and I found myself staying up into the early morning hours to finish it off.
Jessica is, it seems, not so very happy engaged to Adam, who is keen to set a wedding date. Concurrently, she is investigating two teenage suicides and two arson cases that seem to be linked. As she starts to unravel the mysteries, she too becomes a victim of crime and finds herself trapped in a burning house. Wilkinson very skilfully described how Jessica felt after inhaling the grey smoke seeping into her bedroom, and I found myself struggling to breathe as I read through that part of the book. It was vividly described, very detailed, scary and believable and I found myself nervously eyeing my smoke detector.
All in all this is a good book and I'm looking forward to Thicker than Water, the next Jessica Daniel installment. Hopefully our heroine is happily married and has a little'un on the way! I can't wait!
January 30, 2016
Whaaaat hot mess is this? The previous book in the series was delightful, the book afterwards is delightful, and this is not. A very large part of that comes in the author's choice to play silly buggers with the reader, telling them that Jessica has discovered vital clues, but not revealing what those clues are. "With that, Jessica told him what she thought she knew, and all the pieces began to fall into place."
AUTHORS DO NOT DO THIS.
The other problem is Jessica's theoretical awakening to her own failings as a detective, which should have worked, but when paired with her realization of loving Adam just made my teeth itch. Also they are the least plausible couple ever. At some point we can talk about how any given detective does not require a damn love interest if you have to get out the shoehorn and the cooking oil, but today is not that day.
AUTHORS DO NOT DO THIS.
The other problem is Jessica's theoretical awakening to her own failings as a detective, which should have worked, but when paired with her realization of loving Adam just made my teeth itch. Also they are the least plausible couple ever. At some point we can talk about how any given detective does not require a damn love interest if you have to get out the shoehorn and the cooking oil, but today is not that day.
April 5, 2014
A good read but I didn't enjoy it as much as the earlier books in this series. I think it was because the twist at the end was disappointing. There was not enough "put in" to this throughout the story so when it happened I sort of thought "oh...". It's a good series though and if you like crime fiction, definitely give this series a try.
July 2, 2017
I didn't think this book was quite as good as the previous ones but it was still ok. Jessica Daniel isn't especially typical of the main female characters in British police procedurals as she doesn't have anything wrong with her. She has a bit of a temper (mostly written about rather than illustrated by her actions) and she seems somewhat conflicted in her romantic relationship
August 17, 2015
I always enjoy the books in this series, and this was no exception. The book is an easy read and with a touch of humour and no clear-cut culprit/s, it definitely entertains. I already have the next in the series ready and waiting to be read :-)
July 21, 2013
Excellent as always, each series in the Jessica Daniels books just keep getting better & better.
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