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DS Nathan Cody #3
Don't Make a Sound
You can't choose your family. Or can you?
Meet the Bensons. A pleasant enough couple. They keep themselves to themselves. They wash their car, mow their lawn and pass the time of day with their neighbours. And they have a beautiful little girl called Daisy.
There's just one problem. Daisy doesn't belong to the Bensons. They stole her. And now they've decided that Daisy needs a little brother or sister.
DS Nathan Cody is about to face his darkest and most terrifying case yet....
Meet the Bensons. A pleasant enough couple. They keep themselves to themselves. They wash their car, mow their lawn and pass the time of day with their neighbours. And they have a beautiful little girl called Daisy.
There's just one problem. Daisy doesn't belong to the Bensons. They stole her. And now they've decided that Daisy needs a little brother or sister.
DS Nathan Cody is about to face his darkest and most terrifying case yet....
10 pages, Audible Audio
First published May 3, 2018
241 people are currently reading
1576 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 406 reviews
May 7, 2018
The Benson's (to all intents and purposes ) are a normal happy little family, there's Mum (Harriet) Dad (Malcolm) and 10 year old Daisy. However, Daisy isn't their little girl, they stole her three years ago - and now they'd like an addition to their family, so Malcolm begins the painstaking process of searching for a sister for Daisy!
Right from the beginning we're aware of who the perpetrator is, and I'm not normally a fan of books that don't allow me to use my powers of deduction. However, I thought in this case it worked really well. The author still managed to produce and maintain the tension needed to make it a winner. The characters were fully fleshed, playing their roles to perfection, and the narrative carried an air of menace at all times. There were some neat little twists, with a real cracker at the end. A great read!
*Thank you to Netgalley, Bonnier Zaffre and David Jackson for my ARC for which I have given an honest review*
Right from the beginning we're aware of who the perpetrator is, and I'm not normally a fan of books that don't allow me to use my powers of deduction. However, I thought in this case it worked really well. The author still managed to produce and maintain the tension needed to make it a winner. The characters were fully fleshed, playing their roles to perfection, and the narrative carried an air of menace at all times. There were some neat little twists, with a real cracker at the end. A great read!
*Thank you to Netgalley, Bonnier Zaffre and David Jackson for my ARC for which I have given an honest review*
April 13, 2018
I so LOVED this book, I was absolutely addicted to it! It was my type of book in so many ways and although the subject matter was quite distressing at times, it was beautifully written and plotted with edge, fear and impressive solid characters you couldn't help engaging with.
The blurb -
Meet the Bensons. A pleasant enough couple. They keep themselves to themselves. They wash their car, mow their lawn and pass the time of day with their neighbours. And they have a beautiful little girl called Daisy. There's just one problem. Daisy doesn't belong to the Bensons. They stole her. And now they've decided that Daisy needs a little brother or sister. D. S. Nathan Cody is about to face his darkest and most terrifying case yet.....
I have never, ever, held my breath as many times as I did when reading "Don't Make A Sound". I was so engrossed in it, I truly felt I was in the bedroom with the girls, the tense atmosphere, the constant dread of the bolts being pulled back - just pure fear! My nerves were shredded by the end of the book but quite sad I'd finished it as I'd enjoyed it so much. It may well be a cliche but this book was totally unputdownable. David Jackson is a fantastic writer, has an intelligent and creative imagination and knows exactly what the readers wants in a crime book that keeps the reader engrossed in fear and trepidation. The twists and turns were phenomenal and the TOTALLY unexpected ending - oh my! I really didn't know what to think of it, I was just so stunned. Excellence and originality in its finest form.
"Don't Make A Sound" is the third in the DS Nathan Cody series and my first time reading any of them. There is plenty of information in this book to bring you up to date with the series but I would certainly be interested in reading the first two purely for enjoyment because if they are as intense and fabulously written as this one, they too will be fantastic reads.
5 stars and then some!!!!!
The blurb -
Meet the Bensons. A pleasant enough couple. They keep themselves to themselves. They wash their car, mow their lawn and pass the time of day with their neighbours. And they have a beautiful little girl called Daisy. There's just one problem. Daisy doesn't belong to the Bensons. They stole her. And now they've decided that Daisy needs a little brother or sister. D. S. Nathan Cody is about to face his darkest and most terrifying case yet.....
I have never, ever, held my breath as many times as I did when reading "Don't Make A Sound". I was so engrossed in it, I truly felt I was in the bedroom with the girls, the tense atmosphere, the constant dread of the bolts being pulled back - just pure fear! My nerves were shredded by the end of the book but quite sad I'd finished it as I'd enjoyed it so much. It may well be a cliche but this book was totally unputdownable. David Jackson is a fantastic writer, has an intelligent and creative imagination and knows exactly what the readers wants in a crime book that keeps the reader engrossed in fear and trepidation. The twists and turns were phenomenal and the TOTALLY unexpected ending - oh my! I really didn't know what to think of it, I was just so stunned. Excellence and originality in its finest form.
"Don't Make A Sound" is the third in the DS Nathan Cody series and my first time reading any of them. There is plenty of information in this book to bring you up to date with the series but I would certainly be interested in reading the first two purely for enjoyment because if they are as intense and fabulously written as this one, they too will be fantastic reads.
5 stars and then some!!!!!
May 10, 2024
“Don’t Make a Sound” by David Jackson pierces the heart of every parent’s worst nightmare: a child snatched from their bed, gone without a whisper.
Meet Malcolm and Harriet Benson, a seemingly ordinary couple, who harbor a dark secret: they have kidnapped a ten-year-old girl named Daisy. Their mundane exterior masks a sinister inclination for kidnapping kids. The tension escalates when their insatiable hunger for innocence drives them to target another child, igniting a desperate chase as detectives race against the relentless tick of the clock. Will they rescue the children, or will they be too late, leaving only tragedy in their wake?
A well-executed thriller that succeeds in creating a haunting narrative. A grim reminder of the fragility of security and the depths of human depravity.
One aspect I find unsettling is Detective Cody’s empathy towards the kidnapper. A bold attempt to humanize the perpetrator, challenging my moral compass. Can we extend compassion to someone who inflicts such heinous crimes, like child kidnapping and abuse?
Meet Malcolm and Harriet Benson, a seemingly ordinary couple, who harbor a dark secret: they have kidnapped a ten-year-old girl named Daisy. Their mundane exterior masks a sinister inclination for kidnapping kids. The tension escalates when their insatiable hunger for innocence drives them to target another child, igniting a desperate chase as detectives race against the relentless tick of the clock. Will they rescue the children, or will they be too late, leaving only tragedy in their wake?
A well-executed thriller that succeeds in creating a haunting narrative. A grim reminder of the fragility of security and the depths of human depravity.
One aspect I find unsettling is Detective Cody’s empathy towards the kidnapper. A bold attempt to humanize the perpetrator, challenging my moral compass. Can we extend compassion to someone who inflicts such heinous crimes, like child kidnapping and abuse?
April 29, 2018
DS Nathan Cody #3
The Bensons are a pleasant enough couple. They keep themselves to themselves. They have a beautiful little girl called Daisy. There's just one problem. Daisy does not belong to the Bensons. They stole her. And now they have decided that Daisy needs a little brother or sister.
From the outside, the Bensons look like any ordinary family, but they're not. Daisy is kept locked in a dark bedroom and she is scared and lonley. She's is about to get a new sibling. DS Nathan Cody and his partner are given the case. There are plenty of twists and turns in this fast paced book. The story is gripping with a great mix of characters. Although I have not read any of the other books in this series, I do think this book can be read as a standalone. Although I do think and recommend you read the other two books in this series first to understand more about the characters etc. I do normally like to read books in the order that they are written.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Bonnier Zaffre and the author David Jackson for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The Bensons are a pleasant enough couple. They keep themselves to themselves. They have a beautiful little girl called Daisy. There's just one problem. Daisy does not belong to the Bensons. They stole her. And now they have decided that Daisy needs a little brother or sister.
From the outside, the Bensons look like any ordinary family, but they're not. Daisy is kept locked in a dark bedroom and she is scared and lonley. She's is about to get a new sibling. DS Nathan Cody and his partner are given the case. There are plenty of twists and turns in this fast paced book. The story is gripping with a great mix of characters. Although I have not read any of the other books in this series, I do think this book can be read as a standalone. Although I do think and recommend you read the other two books in this series first to understand more about the characters etc. I do normally like to read books in the order that they are written.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Bonnier Zaffre and the author David Jackson for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
January 5, 2018
I’m a little in love with the Nathan Cody series…
Honestly every book just gets better (and each one freaks me out in different ways I do love the dark and dastardly crime books) and with Don’t Make A Sound you’ve got kids in peril (emotionally distressing) plus Nathan and his clowns (you’ll have to read the other books) plus an absolutely gripping tale that defies every attempt you make to put it down to go and cook dinner. It’s fine – the kids can eat cereal all day…
So this is a short sharp review as I’m fairly sure I’ll be called for blog tour duties later and will go willingly, so we’ll leave it for now at: Brilliant writing, brilliant plotting, edge of the seat resolution, a book that will give you paper cuts in your eagerness to turn the pages.
Boom.
Highly Recommended.
Honestly every book just gets better (and each one freaks me out in different ways I do love the dark and dastardly crime books) and with Don’t Make A Sound you’ve got kids in peril (emotionally distressing) plus Nathan and his clowns (you’ll have to read the other books) plus an absolutely gripping tale that defies every attempt you make to put it down to go and cook dinner. It’s fine – the kids can eat cereal all day…
So this is a short sharp review as I’m fairly sure I’ll be called for blog tour duties later and will go willingly, so we’ll leave it for now at: Brilliant writing, brilliant plotting, edge of the seat resolution, a book that will give you paper cuts in your eagerness to turn the pages.
Boom.
Highly Recommended.
May 3, 2018
You guys! YOU GUYS!!! THIS BOOK!!!! It definitely nearly broke me. I have such a grá (love in Irish in case you want to know!) for Nathan Cody. I never want to stop reading when I pick up any of David’s Cody series, and Don’t Make A Sound was no exception.
But I had to put it down… to catch my breath, because THINGS HAPPEN! And I wasn’t prepared for how it made me feel!!! I picked the book up again after a few deep breaths, but I was super tense until I turned those last pages.
What a bloody thrill ride!!!
There is no doubt that David Jackson is an awesome writer, but he is also a master manipulator after this one (Love you really, Dave!) because it really messed with my head, heart and emotions. I am NOT complaining though, because this knack that Dave has means that his books will keep me gripped from start to finish.
EVERY. DAMN. TIME.
Don’t Make A Sound, for me, is the best book in the series so far. Without a shadow of a doubt. The plot is pitch perfect. The atmosphere is dark and nervy. The characters are so well-drawn (goodies and baddies) that the reader becomes immersed almost immediately and that denouement, perfection.
I can’t praise Dave or his books highly enough. Firmly on my favourites list for life, this series just keeps getting better and better.
Raw, dark and with an emotional gut-punch, Don’t Make A Sound is one thriller you DO NOT want to miss.
Highly recommended.
Always.
But I had to put it down… to catch my breath, because THINGS HAPPEN! And I wasn’t prepared for how it made me feel!!! I picked the book up again after a few deep breaths, but I was super tense until I turned those last pages.
What a bloody thrill ride!!!
There is no doubt that David Jackson is an awesome writer, but he is also a master manipulator after this one (Love you really, Dave!) because it really messed with my head, heart and emotions. I am NOT complaining though, because this knack that Dave has means that his books will keep me gripped from start to finish.
EVERY. DAMN. TIME.
Don’t Make A Sound, for me, is the best book in the series so far. Without a shadow of a doubt. The plot is pitch perfect. The atmosphere is dark and nervy. The characters are so well-drawn (goodies and baddies) that the reader becomes immersed almost immediately and that denouement, perfection.
I can’t praise Dave or his books highly enough. Firmly on my favourites list for life, this series just keeps getting better and better.
Raw, dark and with an emotional gut-punch, Don’t Make A Sound is one thriller you DO NOT want to miss.
Highly recommended.
Always.
February 27, 2018
David Jackson’s A Tapping at my Door is one of my favourite crime novels, and is one of the ones I recommend to people when showing them an actual book (because I am quoted inside!) I think I read Hope to Die on a bad day and want to give it a reread because I struggled to get into the story. This time around though with book three, Don’t Make a Sound, and I couldn’t read it quick enough and read the book in just two thrilling sittings.
In Don’t Make a Sound, David Jackson has written what could be marketed as a psychological thriller. It certainly leans more towards that genre as opposed to being just another crime thriller. Nathan Cody’s latest case sees him looking into the disappearance of a young girl, Poppy. The reader knows that Poppy and another girl have been kidnapped and are being held in a locked room by a married couple. I was so on edge whilst reading this book. The way David writes really puts you inside the story. I felt uncomfortable reading some of the scenes inside this room and could genuinely feel the terror that the girls felt at being locked inside this room by this strange couple. It was horrifying to read about how he so easily broke into Poppy’s house and kidnapped her and they were just so creepy. I found myself imagining how I would have felt as a child, or how I’d feel as a parent having something like this happen to my child. It makes you look at those creepy neighbours in a whole new light.
Despite the book being set in Liverpool we don’t see a whole lot of the city and that was a disappointment to me. The city a crime fiction book is set in is usually a character in itself, but this story could have been set anywhere in the UK, there wasn’t really anything distinguishing about it other than the use of a couple of street and place names. All that said, that is just a personal niggle of mine and the story here is where the book really shines and I’m just being picky because we don’t get a lot of Liverpool based crime fiction and when we do I want to read more about the city. The fact that this book is more character driven and psychologically based however means that the story well and truly messed with my head and the setting didn’t matter all that much.
At around about the 200 page mark something happened that completely took me by surprise and almost made me gasp out loud. This was the turning point in the story for me and was the point where I knew I wouldn’t be putting the book down until I was closing the final page. Apart from a brief sojourn onto Twitter to profess my enjoyment of the story, I was racing my way to the thrilling and dramatic conclusion. There’s something disconcerting about reading a book and having one mindset throughout only to finish it with all of your thoughts being thrown back in your face when the author completely takes you by surprise and delivers something you just did not see coming. That’s what happened here with David Jackson and I can only applaud the fantastic way he finished this story. I personally didn’t see it coming and whilst I want to scream about how good the ending was, I also don’t want to give away spoilers so all I will say is, prepare yourself for a truly brilliant ending. It’s ensured that I’ll be thinking about these characters and this story for a short while longer yet.
This is shaping up to be a great series and I definitely enjoyed my time with Nathan and co more in Don’t Make a Sound than I did in Hope to Die. It’s clear that the demons from his past are still present, and that things may finally start to come to a head in subsequent novels. I can’t wait to see how Nathan develops as a character both personally and professionally and after three rather different books from David, I am excited to see what he writes next and also hope that he utilises the Liverpool setting more and allows the good and the bad of this city to shine through in his writing. Either way l’ll be at the front of the queue to read whatever it is that he writes next and until then I highly recommend that you check out this series.
In Don’t Make a Sound, David Jackson has written what could be marketed as a psychological thriller. It certainly leans more towards that genre as opposed to being just another crime thriller. Nathan Cody’s latest case sees him looking into the disappearance of a young girl, Poppy. The reader knows that Poppy and another girl have been kidnapped and are being held in a locked room by a married couple. I was so on edge whilst reading this book. The way David writes really puts you inside the story. I felt uncomfortable reading some of the scenes inside this room and could genuinely feel the terror that the girls felt at being locked inside this room by this strange couple. It was horrifying to read about how he so easily broke into Poppy’s house and kidnapped her and they were just so creepy. I found myself imagining how I would have felt as a child, or how I’d feel as a parent having something like this happen to my child. It makes you look at those creepy neighbours in a whole new light.
Despite the book being set in Liverpool we don’t see a whole lot of the city and that was a disappointment to me. The city a crime fiction book is set in is usually a character in itself, but this story could have been set anywhere in the UK, there wasn’t really anything distinguishing about it other than the use of a couple of street and place names. All that said, that is just a personal niggle of mine and the story here is where the book really shines and I’m just being picky because we don’t get a lot of Liverpool based crime fiction and when we do I want to read more about the city. The fact that this book is more character driven and psychologically based however means that the story well and truly messed with my head and the setting didn’t matter all that much.
At around about the 200 page mark something happened that completely took me by surprise and almost made me gasp out loud. This was the turning point in the story for me and was the point where I knew I wouldn’t be putting the book down until I was closing the final page. Apart from a brief sojourn onto Twitter to profess my enjoyment of the story, I was racing my way to the thrilling and dramatic conclusion. There’s something disconcerting about reading a book and having one mindset throughout only to finish it with all of your thoughts being thrown back in your face when the author completely takes you by surprise and delivers something you just did not see coming. That’s what happened here with David Jackson and I can only applaud the fantastic way he finished this story. I personally didn’t see it coming and whilst I want to scream about how good the ending was, I also don’t want to give away spoilers so all I will say is, prepare yourself for a truly brilliant ending. It’s ensured that I’ll be thinking about these characters and this story for a short while longer yet.
This is shaping up to be a great series and I definitely enjoyed my time with Nathan and co more in Don’t Make a Sound than I did in Hope to Die. It’s clear that the demons from his past are still present, and that things may finally start to come to a head in subsequent novels. I can’t wait to see how Nathan develops as a character both personally and professionally and after three rather different books from David, I am excited to see what he writes next and also hope that he utilises the Liverpool setting more and allows the good and the bad of this city to shine through in his writing. Either way l’ll be at the front of the queue to read whatever it is that he writes next and until then I highly recommend that you check out this series.
May 25, 2018
Children going missing are a well used topic for crime fiction, so what’s so special about this one I can hear you ask? OMFG where shall I begin, I literally loved this crime thriller, the characters, the plot, the writing, the pacing, every element of this book was on spot on. I’m not going to beat about the bush Don’t Make A Sound will definitely be on my top reads of 2018, it’s compelling, gripping and one of the best crime thrillers I’ve read this year.
I’m going to keep this review short, mainly because I could rave about this book all day long and not draw breath, it’s definitely one you need to read for yourself, and the less you know the more thrilling the ride. This is the third book in the series but can easily be read as a standalone, there’s enough of a backstory to whet your appetite so much so before I finished this one I had bought the previous books in the series as I was desperate to find out what events had shaped D. S. Nathan Cody character.
Dark and definitely unsettling the focus is very much upon a supposedly normal couple, bringing up their young daughter Daisy, but like any good crime thriller nothing is as it seems. What follows is a tense tale, that found me racing through the pages, desperate to get to the truth. It’s the chapters told from Daisy’ perspective that give this book a chilling edge, for me Little Daisy is the shining star of Don’t Make A Sound she’s a tough little cookie with so much character, she will tug at the most hardened heartstrings, you want to reach into the pages and pull her out of her living, breathing nightmare. I also loved the fact the author hasn’t gone overboard with the details surrounding Daisy, it’s hinted at yes, but it leaves the rest to the reader’s imagination, vague I know but I’m trying to avoid “spoiler territory”.
What makes Don’t Make A sound stand out from other crime books about missing children is the authors telling of the story, the undercurrent of madness and menace that lies within its pages. David Jackson certainly knows how to tell a story, and just as I thought he had tied everything up neatly he threw in a shocker, one that left me reeling, not an easy task when you read as many crime books as I do let me tell you. If this book doesn’t become a best seller I will eat my hat! Would I recommend this book? It’s a massive “hell yes” from me.
All my reviews can be found at http://thebookreviewcafe.com
I’m going to keep this review short, mainly because I could rave about this book all day long and not draw breath, it’s definitely one you need to read for yourself, and the less you know the more thrilling the ride. This is the third book in the series but can easily be read as a standalone, there’s enough of a backstory to whet your appetite so much so before I finished this one I had bought the previous books in the series as I was desperate to find out what events had shaped D. S. Nathan Cody character.
Dark and definitely unsettling the focus is very much upon a supposedly normal couple, bringing up their young daughter Daisy, but like any good crime thriller nothing is as it seems. What follows is a tense tale, that found me racing through the pages, desperate to get to the truth. It’s the chapters told from Daisy’ perspective that give this book a chilling edge, for me Little Daisy is the shining star of Don’t Make A Sound she’s a tough little cookie with so much character, she will tug at the most hardened heartstrings, you want to reach into the pages and pull her out of her living, breathing nightmare. I also loved the fact the author hasn’t gone overboard with the details surrounding Daisy, it’s hinted at yes, but it leaves the rest to the reader’s imagination, vague I know but I’m trying to avoid “spoiler territory”.
What makes Don’t Make A sound stand out from other crime books about missing children is the authors telling of the story, the undercurrent of madness and menace that lies within its pages. David Jackson certainly knows how to tell a story, and just as I thought he had tied everything up neatly he threw in a shocker, one that left me reeling, not an easy task when you read as many crime books as I do let me tell you. If this book doesn’t become a best seller I will eat my hat! Would I recommend this book? It’s a massive “hell yes” from me.
All my reviews can be found at http://thebookreviewcafe.com
July 8, 2018
I am stating it upfront. This book was not for me. I don't like books where I am told the identity of kidnapper right at the beginning without me getting to play the Detective!!
3 girls plucked away from their home settings and boarded up as prisoners and police befuddled and soon investigation starts rolling
The story is told with respect to the investigation and life of the girls at the kidnappers'. The two parts continue on and meet up in the middle and spoiler alert (the cop becomes prisoner too).
The ending was both shocking and twisted. My first book by David Jackson. The book had a police procedural vibe to it, the tension and pace was well maintained. Life of the kidnapped girls was terrible. The kidnappers themselves were extremely icky, so full marks to the author for this characterization.
I didn't like how the police investigation and life of the cops was written. This style of writing didn't gel with my personal preference. I didn't find it interesting, this is on me!!
Overall, for me it was a fast read with skipping of some parts which were not relevant to the rescue of girls.
3 girls plucked away from their home settings and boarded up as prisoners and police befuddled and soon investigation starts rolling
The story is told with respect to the investigation and life of the girls at the kidnappers'. The two parts continue on and meet up in the middle and spoiler alert (the cop becomes prisoner too).
The ending was both shocking and twisted. My first book by David Jackson. The book had a police procedural vibe to it, the tension and pace was well maintained. Life of the kidnapped girls was terrible. The kidnappers themselves were extremely icky, so full marks to the author for this characterization.
I didn't like how the police investigation and life of the cops was written. This style of writing didn't gel with my personal preference. I didn't find it interesting, this is on me!!
Overall, for me it was a fast read with skipping of some parts which were not relevant to the rescue of girls.
December 7, 2018
Wow! I don’t know where to start but this book was incredible. Brilliant story, incredibly well written and very addictive. This is one of my favourites books I’ve ever read. I’ve never read a David Jackson book before but I’m definitely excited to read more from him after this. It had differing chapters from the bensons to the police which I liked and it worked really well. The story was really good and kept me hooked. They were all interesting characters and I really hoped throughout the book that the girls would escape. I won’t reveal what happened but I would 100 percent recommend it to anyone. A perfect book.
May 18, 2021
This is the third book in the DS Nathan Cody series by author David Jackson. I came across this author when I read his latest standalone novel ‘The Resident’ which I thought was outstanding and it encouraged me to read more of his books. This is the second book I have read in this gritty series based in Liverpool and once again David Jackson proves he can write addictive crime novels. The lead character Nathan Cody is a man who has plenty of issues going on in his own life like many of the outstanding book characters. He is constantly running into trouble and carries a hell of a lot of personal baggage.
To the outside world Malcolm and Harriet Benson are your regular middle aged, law abiding neighbours, but behind closed doors they have a ten-year-old daughter called Daisy. Daisy is kept in a bedroom and obeys whatever Malcolm and Harriet demand. She was abducted three years ago from her real parents and now the Benson’s are planning to give her a sister. Malcolm has highlighted six-year-old Poppy Devlin and having watched the family closely for several weeks is now ready to make his move.
These types of cases are always emotional ones and DS Nathan Cody is the man tasked with the job of finding Poppy and returning her to her mother and father. Everything points to Poppy being specifically selected rather than abducting a random girl. Cody feels that there may be more to this case than a simple abduction and has a bad feeling about it.
This dark gritty novel makes addictive reading, good plot, nice twists and so well paced.
This is the fourth book I have read by this author and they have all been tremendous reads.
To the outside world Malcolm and Harriet Benson are your regular middle aged, law abiding neighbours, but behind closed doors they have a ten-year-old daughter called Daisy. Daisy is kept in a bedroom and obeys whatever Malcolm and Harriet demand. She was abducted three years ago from her real parents and now the Benson’s are planning to give her a sister. Malcolm has highlighted six-year-old Poppy Devlin and having watched the family closely for several weeks is now ready to make his move.
These types of cases are always emotional ones and DS Nathan Cody is the man tasked with the job of finding Poppy and returning her to her mother and father. Everything points to Poppy being specifically selected rather than abducting a random girl. Cody feels that there may be more to this case than a simple abduction and has a bad feeling about it.
This dark gritty novel makes addictive reading, good plot, nice twists and so well paced.
This is the fourth book I have read by this author and they have all been tremendous reads.
December 7, 2019
Storytelling genius. The third instalment of the DS Cody series takes a new approach focussing heavily on the crime with less emphasis on Cody; however, his history rears its head (that said it could be a stand-alone read too).
The plot transitions smoothly between various characters mainly Cody, Daisy and the Malcolms. Jackson builds tension, vehemence and anger in the reader, despite knowing who commits the crime., this approach works very effectively. The accuracy of the feelings depicted by central characters is spot on & drew me in hook, line and sinker.
Interesting surprise twist at the end. An excellent crime read!
The plot transitions smoothly between various characters mainly Cody, Daisy and the Malcolms. Jackson builds tension, vehemence and anger in the reader, despite knowing who commits the crime., this approach works very effectively. The accuracy of the feelings depicted by central characters is spot on & drew me in hook, line and sinker.
Interesting surprise twist at the end. An excellent crime read!
May 3, 2018
Don’t Make A Sound is the third book in the D.S. Nathan Cody series. It probably would be better to have read the previous novels just to get a bit of back ground just as there are a couple of mentions of things that you would probably only be aware of if you had read them.
Oh wow, what can I say about this book!
A Tapping At My Door was my first introduction to this author and his novels, of which it is also the first in this series. It blew me away so much so I went and bought all his other books. A Tapping At my Door has remained my most favourite, well that was until I read his latest offering.
It is so hard to know what to write in my review as I really don’t want to give to much away. The book description literally grabbed me by the collar and had me rushing to find out what was inside and boy I wasn’t disappointed.
Apart from Cody himself, Daisy was without a doubt the star of this book. A ten year old girl who has sadly had to grow up way before she should have to. Her strength ran rings around my heart strings and I just wanted to wrap her up in my arms and to take her away from the situation she was in.
Having a story line to do with children in a crime thriller you know is more than likely going to be emotional in parts. Oh my goodness though I literally couldn’t turn the pages quick enough to find out more and what the out come was going to be only to realise that the author hadn’t finished with me yet. The less said about that the better!
Don’t Make A Sound is going to be THE must read of 2018! Gripping from the off, Don’t Make A Sound is guaranteed to grip you whilst taking you on one of the most thrilling rides of your life. An absolute must read for crime thriller fans who love fast paced reads that they won’t be able to put down. Without a doubt one of my top reads of this year!
My thanks to Emily at Bonnier Zaffre for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
Oh wow, what can I say about this book!
A Tapping At My Door was my first introduction to this author and his novels, of which it is also the first in this series. It blew me away so much so I went and bought all his other books. A Tapping At my Door has remained my most favourite, well that was until I read his latest offering.
It is so hard to know what to write in my review as I really don’t want to give to much away. The book description literally grabbed me by the collar and had me rushing to find out what was inside and boy I wasn’t disappointed.
Apart from Cody himself, Daisy was without a doubt the star of this book. A ten year old girl who has sadly had to grow up way before she should have to. Her strength ran rings around my heart strings and I just wanted to wrap her up in my arms and to take her away from the situation she was in.
Having a story line to do with children in a crime thriller you know is more than likely going to be emotional in parts. Oh my goodness though I literally couldn’t turn the pages quick enough to find out more and what the out come was going to be only to realise that the author hadn’t finished with me yet. The less said about that the better!
Don’t Make A Sound is going to be THE must read of 2018! Gripping from the off, Don’t Make A Sound is guaranteed to grip you whilst taking you on one of the most thrilling rides of your life. An absolute must read for crime thriller fans who love fast paced reads that they won’t be able to put down. Without a doubt one of my top reads of this year!
My thanks to Emily at Bonnier Zaffre for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
March 29, 2018
I've liked Tapping at my Door and Hope to Die. So when I found out my favourite author David Jackson had a new book coming out I was bursting to read it. I liked the cover of this house that could look like anyone's house. Don't Make A Sound is fairly sad read. The Bensons family are like an ordinary couple. They wash their car, mow their lawn and pass the time of day with their neighbours. They have a beautiful little girl called Daisy but there's just one problem she's not theirs. After reading this blurb I was still in the dark and I didn't have a clue what was about to happen. Harriet knows her husband Malcolm is planning and plotting something. And it's not Harriets birthday for another month, but I still thought he was planning a special surprise for his wife. Honestly I didn't see this coming but Malcolm kidnaps girls for his wife and keeps them locked up in their house. I must admit I thought it was going to be a really lovely early birthday surprise for Harriet, so when I found out what Malcolm was really doing I felt very tearful. I really hated him. This story really made me start to think how well do we really know our neighbours. Don't Make A Sound will shock you all with it's dark secrets.
March 24, 2018
My Review: A quick recap… I love David Jackson’s books and when I saw he had a new book coming out later this year and lots of bloggers and authors were already reading it and recommending it I may have thrown a little hissy fit as I didn’t have a copy and due to extreme FOMO I needed one NOW. Despite a lovely private message from Mr Jackson explaining a copy will be sent eventually I had to sulk for a month until those lovely publishers and Netgalley granted my wish. #dotheyknowwhoIam. However during that time I did read book 2 in the series so I was ready for Don’t Make A Sound.
This book can be read as a stand-alone, but seriously why would you when books 1 and 2 are so brilliant and give you an insight into the wonderful DS Nathan Cody?
I didn’t just read this book, I devoured it and loved every page. Someone described it as tense. It was so tense my sphincter muscles thought they were performing an extreme cardio workout. My stomach was in my throat towards the end, my heart was beating so fast and loud even my dog was concerned.
The blurb above tells you the book is about a couple who abduct a young child and decide to abduct another which is uncomfortable enough to read about but what it doesn’t tell you is that it’s a fast paced book that keeps you gripped throughout with several OMG moments thrown in.
Just in case you weren’t sure I bloody loved this book and yes it will be appearing in my Top Ten books of 2018.
This book can be read as a stand-alone, but seriously why would you when books 1 and 2 are so brilliant and give you an insight into the wonderful DS Nathan Cody?
I didn’t just read this book, I devoured it and loved every page. Someone described it as tense. It was so tense my sphincter muscles thought they were performing an extreme cardio workout. My stomach was in my throat towards the end, my heart was beating so fast and loud even my dog was concerned.
The blurb above tells you the book is about a couple who abduct a young child and decide to abduct another which is uncomfortable enough to read about but what it doesn’t tell you is that it’s a fast paced book that keeps you gripped throughout with several OMG moments thrown in.
Just in case you weren’t sure I bloody loved this book and yes it will be appearing in my Top Ten books of 2018.
February 21, 2018
I don’t normally review books so far in advance but I have just finished Don’t Make a Sound and physically couldn’t wait to rave about it! But my advanced review now gives you chance (if you’ve never read any books by David Jackson before!) to read the first two books in the Nathan Cody series, A Tapping at my Door and Hope to Die, so that by the time May comes around you will be chomping at the bit to get your teeth into Don’t Make a Sound! And I guarantee you are going to love this one! I didn’t think DS Nathan Cody could beat his previous cases but this very dark and disturbing police procedural novel was EVERYTHING I look for in my crime reads. It’s one of the best books I’ve read this year and definitely one of the best David Jackson has ever written!
There’s always an emotional response from me if there are children in danger in crime thrillers so I knew straight away this was going to be a tough one for me to read. Daisy is living with her “mummy and daddy” but her existence is as far from a normal family life as you can get. Kept in a locked, dark bedroom she is scared and lonely. But she’s about to get a new “sibling” and it’s not going to make life any easier for her. Will DS Cody and his partner be able to solve the missing child case they have been assigned before anymore children disappear?
I absolutely adore DS Cody! I do recommend you start this series at the beginning and not just because A Tapping at My Door is one of my very favourite books! No, you need to see why Nathan acts the way he does and why the fear of clowns is a real life problem for this kamikaze cop! So although Don’t Make a Sound works perfectly well as a standalone, you will get a better understanding of the man at the centre of this investigation if you’ve read the previous books in the series. When Nathan is put in charge of the case of this missing girl, he knows he is working against the clock if he wants to find her alive. He has a great partnership with Webley and also has the approval of his boss DCI Stella Blunt, a relationship that seems more than just a boss/employee one and, although there have been clues before, here we do actually get more of an insight into her soft spot for DS Cody.
The twists and turns of this storyline became so addictive that very early on in the narrative I realised that I wasn’t going to be putting this book down until I had read every last word. My afternoon faded away around me as I read this book from cover to cover, becoming completely focused on just one man and his determination to bring a missing girl back to her distraught parents. My anxiety levels went through the roof but then so did my anger at the Bensons! Who were this couple? Their sense of entitlement was unbelievably sanctimonious and I cringed every time they came into contact with Daisy, the little girl who completely stole my heart here.
And OMFG do I want to talk about that ending?! YES I DO BUT I CAN’T! All I can say is that David Jackson is a master at making me totally reassess every thought that I had had up until that point. And as with A Tapping at My Door I was left an emotional mess, contemplating the actions of all involved.
I am always slightly devastated at end of David Jacksons books mainly because I want to read another one straight away! He leaves me wanting more and I think this series still has so much more to give. Nathan Cody is one flawed individual who refuses to play by the rules in both his work and personal life but I LOVE HIM! More please Mr Jackson!
There’s always an emotional response from me if there are children in danger in crime thrillers so I knew straight away this was going to be a tough one for me to read. Daisy is living with her “mummy and daddy” but her existence is as far from a normal family life as you can get. Kept in a locked, dark bedroom she is scared and lonely. But she’s about to get a new “sibling” and it’s not going to make life any easier for her. Will DS Cody and his partner be able to solve the missing child case they have been assigned before anymore children disappear?
I absolutely adore DS Cody! I do recommend you start this series at the beginning and not just because A Tapping at My Door is one of my very favourite books! No, you need to see why Nathan acts the way he does and why the fear of clowns is a real life problem for this kamikaze cop! So although Don’t Make a Sound works perfectly well as a standalone, you will get a better understanding of the man at the centre of this investigation if you’ve read the previous books in the series. When Nathan is put in charge of the case of this missing girl, he knows he is working against the clock if he wants to find her alive. He has a great partnership with Webley and also has the approval of his boss DCI Stella Blunt, a relationship that seems more than just a boss/employee one and, although there have been clues before, here we do actually get more of an insight into her soft spot for DS Cody.
The twists and turns of this storyline became so addictive that very early on in the narrative I realised that I wasn’t going to be putting this book down until I had read every last word. My afternoon faded away around me as I read this book from cover to cover, becoming completely focused on just one man and his determination to bring a missing girl back to her distraught parents. My anxiety levels went through the roof but then so did my anger at the Bensons! Who were this couple? Their sense of entitlement was unbelievably sanctimonious and I cringed every time they came into contact with Daisy, the little girl who completely stole my heart here.
And OMFG do I want to talk about that ending?! YES I DO BUT I CAN’T! All I can say is that David Jackson is a master at making me totally reassess every thought that I had had up until that point. And as with A Tapping at My Door I was left an emotional mess, contemplating the actions of all involved.
I am always slightly devastated at end of David Jacksons books mainly because I want to read another one straight away! He leaves me wanting more and I think this series still has so much more to give. Nathan Cody is one flawed individual who refuses to play by the rules in both his work and personal life but I LOVE HIM! More please Mr Jackson!
April 28, 2018
I did not realise this was the third in a series until I’d just started reading it but I don’t think it took anything away from the book. And now I’m keen to read the previous books with the character DS Nathan Cody.
This was a really tense and well written thriller. It was told from quite a few different viewpoints which can be confusing but here worked very well as we got so many different perspectives on the case. It was pretty dark and disturbing at times but was never gratuitous at all. The characters were intriguing and all had unique voices which were fascinating to hear.
The only slight negative for me was that the ending felt a little abrupt. I find this is quite a common theme in thrillers which is a shame as I always find the aftermath interesting. However despite this it was still an excellent and intense read!
This was a really tense and well written thriller. It was told from quite a few different viewpoints which can be confusing but here worked very well as we got so many different perspectives on the case. It was pretty dark and disturbing at times but was never gratuitous at all. The characters were intriguing and all had unique voices which were fascinating to hear.
The only slight negative for me was that the ending felt a little abrupt. I find this is quite a common theme in thrillers which is a shame as I always find the aftermath interesting. However despite this it was still an excellent and intense read!
November 16, 2019
Nu scoate un sunet este un thriller captivant, care ne arată cât de întortocheată poate fi mintea umană și câte limite pot fi împinse atunci când disperarea este prezentă. În același timp, autorul aduce în prim plan frici cu care orice părinte se confruntă: răpirea propriului copil. Pur și simplu, te trezești dimineața și observi ca puiul de om nu mai este sau, ca în cazul celui de al treilea copil răpit din carte, plătești cu propria viață.
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May 4, 2018
Did you hear that thud? That was the sound of my jaw hitting the floor. Good grief.
The third instalment of the DS Nathan Cody series starts off innocently enough but after just a few pages, the whole scene is tilted onto its head so hard that my eyes almost popped out of my head and I wondered how I would survive the rest of this book without taking something that would provide some sort of calming effect. Talk about having the rug pulled from underneath you. Bloody hell!
I don’t want to give anything away about this terribly exciting plot, other than to say it deals with a missing child. Stories involving children are always rather tough to read, I find, and David Jackson made that experience even worse (in a totally good way) by actually offering the reader a missing child’s perspective. It’s uncomfortable, frightening and utterly heartbreaking to find yourself in that horrible situation with them.
Don’t Make A Sound is intensely gripping, utterly addictive and I devoured it in one glorious sitting. It’s a dark, disturbing and a brilliantly relentless page-turner that kept me having to remind myself to keep breathing. The banter between Cody and Webley offers some much needed relief at times, making me chuckle in the midst of all this evilness. We even learn a little something new about Blunt, which I’m desperately hoping will be explored further.
I don’t normally like mentioning endings. I always find it’s something like that “twist you won’t see coming” bit where you rush to get to the part everyone is talking about. Know what I mean? Obviously I don’t want you to rush to get to the end of this story (seriously, slow down, enjoy the thrilling ride) but boy, did that blow my mind or what?! Didn’t see that coming at all and it seriously messed with my head! Just awesome!
What an absolutely brilliant addition to an already outstanding series! You’re all reading these, right? If not, I highly recommend you head out out to pick up your copies right now? When you’ve finished catching up, I’m sure you’ll join me in eagerly awaiting the fourth book in the series. I can’t wait to see what David Jackson has in store for the team.
The third instalment of the DS Nathan Cody series starts off innocently enough but after just a few pages, the whole scene is tilted onto its head so hard that my eyes almost popped out of my head and I wondered how I would survive the rest of this book without taking something that would provide some sort of calming effect. Talk about having the rug pulled from underneath you. Bloody hell!
I don’t want to give anything away about this terribly exciting plot, other than to say it deals with a missing child. Stories involving children are always rather tough to read, I find, and David Jackson made that experience even worse (in a totally good way) by actually offering the reader a missing child’s perspective. It’s uncomfortable, frightening and utterly heartbreaking to find yourself in that horrible situation with them.
Don’t Make A Sound is intensely gripping, utterly addictive and I devoured it in one glorious sitting. It’s a dark, disturbing and a brilliantly relentless page-turner that kept me having to remind myself to keep breathing. The banter between Cody and Webley offers some much needed relief at times, making me chuckle in the midst of all this evilness. We even learn a little something new about Blunt, which I’m desperately hoping will be explored further.
I don’t normally like mentioning endings. I always find it’s something like that “twist you won’t see coming” bit where you rush to get to the part everyone is talking about. Know what I mean? Obviously I don’t want you to rush to get to the end of this story (seriously, slow down, enjoy the thrilling ride) but boy, did that blow my mind or what?! Didn’t see that coming at all and it seriously messed with my head! Just awesome!
What an absolutely brilliant addition to an already outstanding series! You’re all reading these, right? If not, I highly recommend you head out out to pick up your copies right now? When you’ve finished catching up, I’m sure you’ll join me in eagerly awaiting the fourth book in the series. I can’t wait to see what David Jackson has in store for the team.
October 30, 2022
Read this in one rainy Sunday, couldn’t put it down - need I say more?
April 27, 2018
I loved the previous DS Nathan Cody books, “A Tapping at my Door,” and “Hope to Die,” so I was delighted to receive the third in the series for review.
Malcolm and Harriet Benson live in a perfectly normal house, in a perfectly normal road, but they are not a perfectly normal family. Their young daughter, Daisy, is not theirs – Malcolm kidnapped her some years previously, and now he has decided that she needs a sister…
When a young girl is snatched, it is the kind of case that the police most dread. There is unlikely to be a good outcome, the press and public scrutiny is intense and it tugs at all sorts of emotions and fears. For those who have read the previous books (and you really should) much of the joy of this series is in the characters. There is the damaged Nathan Cody (who has his own demons , or should I say clowns, to contend with) and the rest of the team he works with also give the books depth, humour and pathos.
Detective Constable Webley features highly in this novel. Along with the plot, which veers wonderfully between the story of the investigation, and the Benson house, there is also the matter of Webley and her on-off relationship with boyfriend Parker; whose name leads to various bad puns from a gleeful Cody. We also learn more about DCI Stella Blunt and the reasons why that stern, forbidding woman, always seems to favour Cody. However, one of the best things about this novel, and the series as a whole, is the way it is various shades of grey, rather than black and white. This is a shocking crime, but there are no obvious conclusions from Jackson, who is adept at showing us a character we are meant to hate, only to show us how to distrust our opinions a short time later.
I do not wish to give away the plot of this glorious, fast moving crime novel. If you like intelligently written crime novels, with excellent characters and wonderful plots, then you will enjoy this. David Jackson is one of a number of brilliant new British crime authors (Angela Marsons, William Shaw and others) that we have been blessed with in recent years. It is a great time for British crime writing and this series is one of the most enjoyable, and this latest instalment, the best so far. A wonderful novel, a brilliant plot, a shocking ending and characters that I hope to meet again. I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, for review.
Malcolm and Harriet Benson live in a perfectly normal house, in a perfectly normal road, but they are not a perfectly normal family. Their young daughter, Daisy, is not theirs – Malcolm kidnapped her some years previously, and now he has decided that she needs a sister…
When a young girl is snatched, it is the kind of case that the police most dread. There is unlikely to be a good outcome, the press and public scrutiny is intense and it tugs at all sorts of emotions and fears. For those who have read the previous books (and you really should) much of the joy of this series is in the characters. There is the damaged Nathan Cody (who has his own demons , or should I say clowns, to contend with) and the rest of the team he works with also give the books depth, humour and pathos.
Detective Constable Webley features highly in this novel. Along with the plot, which veers wonderfully between the story of the investigation, and the Benson house, there is also the matter of Webley and her on-off relationship with boyfriend Parker; whose name leads to various bad puns from a gleeful Cody. We also learn more about DCI Stella Blunt and the reasons why that stern, forbidding woman, always seems to favour Cody. However, one of the best things about this novel, and the series as a whole, is the way it is various shades of grey, rather than black and white. This is a shocking crime, but there are no obvious conclusions from Jackson, who is adept at showing us a character we are meant to hate, only to show us how to distrust our opinions a short time later.
I do not wish to give away the plot of this glorious, fast moving crime novel. If you like intelligently written crime novels, with excellent characters and wonderful plots, then you will enjoy this. David Jackson is one of a number of brilliant new British crime authors (Angela Marsons, William Shaw and others) that we have been blessed with in recent years. It is a great time for British crime writing and this series is one of the most enjoyable, and this latest instalment, the best so far. A wonderful novel, a brilliant plot, a shocking ending and characters that I hope to meet again. I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, for review.
May 3, 2018
Set in Liverpool, this novel is filled with an underlying sense of fear, dread, the past, anger, abduction, loss of control, manipulation, and the search for justice to name just a few of the themes threaded throughout the pages!
Here comes the swearing…
Holy Friggin Sh*tballs! What a phenomenal read! There should be a special amazon rating for those books that just BLOW YOUR MIND – this book is off the scales for me! I knew it was going to be a great read with the fantastic opening chapter – I was lulled into this false sense of security until the realisation of what was actually happening kicked in and OMFG it sent a shiver down my spine! I thought the storyline was clever and current, the characters masterfully written and the twist(s) – damn….I pride myself on being a pretty good amateur detective but I just did not see that coming…What upsets me most is that alot…I mean SO MANY PEOPLE have recommended this author to me – especially Sarah Hardy of By The Letter Book Reviews…I listened, and downloaded #AllTheBooks but had just not read them…What an absolute MUPPET! Where have I been?? However, on the plus side, I know have the pleasure of going back and reading them all…mwah ha ha ha. The evil laugh is for all of you who have to wait for the next book while I enjoy catching up!
Character wise – I loved every-single-one! Even the baddies, but I will just point out a few as I think this is a very character driven series and “meeting” them was part of the joy of reading this novel.
I know this is a series, but I did not feel the least bit lost picking this book up. The author cleverly feeds the reader with enough backstory to drive this one forward without dousing us in unnecessary repetition. DS Nathan Cody is certainly a character I look forward to getting to know more about – I couldn’t figure out whether he was a loner, or just…lonely. His past is haunting him and very few people know or understand what he is going through. His ex-girlfriend, but current police partner (** AWKWARD ** ) DC Megan Webley understands his personality and issues and is just fantastic in terms of her loyalty, and dedication to her colleagues and the job itself.
We find out who the #Baddies are right from the start really, but I am not even going to go into details as again – you have to read about them to get the complete picture. I will, however say how friggin DYSFUNCTIONAL the family is – like one messed up Mofo is head of the household and jaysus – heebie jeebies all around! Yet…emotionally I was quite torn by this “family” because …well…I can’t even say…but OMFG…OH MY….!
But the character that stole the show for me was Daisy! This child will pull your hearts strings and have you wanting to reach in the pages and hug her for her courage and fierce bravery in circumstances that no child should ever find themselves in. What a gem!
I feel really bad as I don’t think this review does this EXCEPTIONAL novel the justice it deserves. It really is a master of psychologically suspenseful reads. Would I recommend this book? Hells-Bloody-Bells I would in-friggin-deed! Dark, twisted, emotive, surprising, spine-tingling and absolutely amazing – I have found a new author to stalk…erm..follow now and will certainly be reading more of this series in the not-so-distant future. Cracking read, David Jackson – I seriously cannot praise this book enough…buy it, #bookjunkies…just buy it!!
Here comes the swearing…
Holy Friggin Sh*tballs! What a phenomenal read! There should be a special amazon rating for those books that just BLOW YOUR MIND – this book is off the scales for me! I knew it was going to be a great read with the fantastic opening chapter – I was lulled into this false sense of security until the realisation of what was actually happening kicked in and OMFG it sent a shiver down my spine! I thought the storyline was clever and current, the characters masterfully written and the twist(s) – damn….I pride myself on being a pretty good amateur detective but I just did not see that coming…What upsets me most is that alot…I mean SO MANY PEOPLE have recommended this author to me – especially Sarah Hardy of By The Letter Book Reviews…I listened, and downloaded #AllTheBooks but had just not read them…What an absolute MUPPET! Where have I been?? However, on the plus side, I know have the pleasure of going back and reading them all…mwah ha ha ha. The evil laugh is for all of you who have to wait for the next book while I enjoy catching up!
Character wise – I loved every-single-one! Even the baddies, but I will just point out a few as I think this is a very character driven series and “meeting” them was part of the joy of reading this novel.
I know this is a series, but I did not feel the least bit lost picking this book up. The author cleverly feeds the reader with enough backstory to drive this one forward without dousing us in unnecessary repetition. DS Nathan Cody is certainly a character I look forward to getting to know more about – I couldn’t figure out whether he was a loner, or just…lonely. His past is haunting him and very few people know or understand what he is going through. His ex-girlfriend, but current police partner (** AWKWARD ** ) DC Megan Webley understands his personality and issues and is just fantastic in terms of her loyalty, and dedication to her colleagues and the job itself.
We find out who the #Baddies are right from the start really, but I am not even going to go into details as again – you have to read about them to get the complete picture. I will, however say how friggin DYSFUNCTIONAL the family is – like one messed up Mofo is head of the household and jaysus – heebie jeebies all around! Yet…emotionally I was quite torn by this “family” because …well…I can’t even say…but OMFG…OH MY….!
But the character that stole the show for me was Daisy! This child will pull your hearts strings and have you wanting to reach in the pages and hug her for her courage and fierce bravery in circumstances that no child should ever find themselves in. What a gem!
I feel really bad as I don’t think this review does this EXCEPTIONAL novel the justice it deserves. It really is a master of psychologically suspenseful reads. Would I recommend this book? Hells-Bloody-Bells I would in-friggin-deed! Dark, twisted, emotive, surprising, spine-tingling and absolutely amazing – I have found a new author to stalk…erm..follow now and will certainly be reading more of this series in the not-so-distant future. Cracking read, David Jackson – I seriously cannot praise this book enough…buy it, #bookjunkies…just buy it!!
May 5, 2019
I bought this on the recommendation of a friend and only found out it was part of a series when I added it to my Goodreads account, Amazon states this is 'The darkest, most gripping thriller you will read this year' - and do you know what? they might not be far off the mark !
It's a cliche but I honestly couldn't put this one down I absolutely devoured it - It is brilliant, it's dark and really disturbing, it felt like my heart was actually in my mouth at times, I was anxious, worried and unsettled - the impact on the kids is heartbreaking and the fact that this author almost had me sympathising with the kidnapper shows how well the characters were drawn. Skillfully written, fabulous plot and great characters.
It does read perfectly as a stand alone but you WILL want to read them all, even (shudder) out of order I went straight on to read an ARC of book 4 and will definitely read the earlier books in this series.
Fabulous - unreserved 5 stars
It's a cliche but I honestly couldn't put this one down I absolutely devoured it - It is brilliant, it's dark and really disturbing, it felt like my heart was actually in my mouth at times, I was anxious, worried and unsettled - the impact on the kids is heartbreaking and the fact that this author almost had me sympathising with the kidnapper shows how well the characters were drawn. Skillfully written, fabulous plot and great characters.
It does read perfectly as a stand alone but you WILL want to read them all, even (shudder) out of order I went straight on to read an ARC of book 4 and will definitely read the earlier books in this series.
Fabulous - unreserved 5 stars
January 26, 2018
I devoured this incredible crime thriller in just one day, despite work and all of the other unwanted distractions. It's one of the most compelling and gripping books I've read in a very long time. What it describes is so horribly awful and yet it feels completely believable and real. Outstanding characters, beautifully written. I haven't read any David Jackson before - that's about to change.
September 19, 2020
I've just finished this book. And it kept me its prisoner...
I really was boomed by the motivation of kidnapping. I mean, I didn't see it coming. And now, I am asking me the same question: were the Bensons as evil? Or just some really fucked people wanting for the good but in a wrong way?
I really was boomed by the motivation of kidnapping. I mean, I didn't see it coming. And now, I am asking me the same question: were the Bensons as evil? Or just some really fucked people wanting for the good but in a wrong way?
January 20, 2019
Don't make a sound (ca și Cry baby) este acel roman perfect pentru o după-amiază liberă, fiindcă oricât ți-ai dori să te oprești din citit și să faci altceva, nu poți. Trebuie să îl duci la capăt. Musai. Nu te lasă să dormi, să mănânci, să stai pe telefon, să nimic. Bag de seamă că asta e marea calitate a lui David Jackson. Și dacă vă spun că nu excelează la poveste și personaje, poate vă întrebați de unde cele cinci steluțe ... nejustificabile. Dar excelează la suspans și la jocul cu mintea umană. E bun, ce să mai vorbim despre toate cele.
July 7, 2022
3.5 stars
I was not expecting the twist at the end.
Enjoyable, but not out of this world.
I was not expecting the twist at the end.
Enjoyable, but not out of this world.
March 25, 2019
Grim, but gripping. Quick easy compelling read. I find the grim elements harder to take as I get older, but they’re not too much here.
My rating strategy:
5 stars = An all time favourite, I could tell you about this 10 years later.
4 stars = Loved this, really gripping/fun/exciting, will remember long term.
3 stars = Definitely enjoyed, might forget quickly though, but happy to read more by the author.
2 stars = Likely to have some good points, but it didn't properly captivate me.
1 star = Not my cup of tea at all, wouldn't return to the author.
My rating strategy:
5 stars = An all time favourite, I could tell you about this 10 years later.
4 stars = Loved this, really gripping/fun/exciting, will remember long term.
3 stars = Definitely enjoyed, might forget quickly though, but happy to read more by the author.
2 stars = Likely to have some good points, but it didn't properly captivate me.
1 star = Not my cup of tea at all, wouldn't return to the author.
March 16, 2020
Nu scoate un sunet sau cum să reziști psihic la tensiunea provocată de această carte. Cunoșteam stilul de scriere al lui David Jackson, știam că poate scoate thrillere bune dar acesta a fost bestial. A existat tensiune de la prima pagină până la ultima, exact cum trebuie să fie o carte de acest gen.
Recenzie aici:
https://cartoteka.ro/recenzie-nu-scoa...
Recenzie aici:
https://cartoteka.ro/recenzie-nu-scoa...
May 31, 2025
⚠️ Content warning: child abduction, abuse, torture, and references to mental illness. This one cuts deep.
I thought I knew what I was getting into. Missing child cases... I've read more than a few. The setup is familiar, almost predictable by now. But Don’t Make a Sound isn’t just another entry in the crime thriller canon. This one does something else. It crawled under my skin, and by the end, I felt gutted.
A little girl vanishes from her home in the dead of night—no sound, no struggle, just a room that no longer holds a child. And somehow, that's what hit hardest. That stillness. That absence. The team is baffled. So was I.
By now, DS Nathan Cody is still haunted. Still reckless. Still unraveling thread by thread. His past is always lurking at the edges, but this time, it’s as though something has shifted—he feels more brittle. Megan Webley is right there beside him, fierce and bright, the only one who truly sees him (and maybe the only one he can't fully hide from). Their connection is… complicated. Painfully unresolved.
But Don’t Make a Sound isn’t carried by Cody alone—it’s the entire Major Incident Team that breathes life into this book. DCI Stella Blunt, their gruff, mother-hen of a commander, continues to toe that perfect line between stern boss and secret softie. She sees more than she lets on, especially when it comes to Cody. Then there’s Grace Meade, the team's digital wizard; awkward, intense, unnervingly brilliant. She barely raises her voice, but you feel her presence. Strange, spiky, and exactly the kind of character I want to see more of.
And Jason Oxburgh. For the first time, we really see him here. The Family Liaison Officer with the quiet soul. Watching him crumble at home, with his wife, after delivering impossible news… it reminded me that behind every badge is a human being. Jackson doesn't forget that, and it’s part of what makes this book feel so real.
But what made this book linger with me wasn’t just the leads; it was the slow revelation of something truly chilling beneath the surface. The abductions aren’t random. There’s a pattern, but it’s buried. And when the second girl is taken everything tightens. The horror isn’t just in what happens, but in why it happens. And who’s behind it.
Enter Malcolm and Harriet Benson. I’m not going to say much, because part of the horror is in discovering who they are and what they believe they’re doing. I will say this: they shook me. Not in a theatrical villain kind of way. More like a creeping dread that settles in your bones and stays long after the book is closed.
And then there’s Daisy. I can’t talk about Daisy without giving too much away. Just know this: she broke me.
Jackson does something in this book I wasn't expecting. He takes you to the edge of brutality—but doesn’t let you fall off. He walks you there gently, unnervingly, and just when you think you can’t take any more, he gives you humanity. A breath. A tear. A small, quiet moment that devastates more than any murder scene could.
Would I recommend it? Yes—but not casually. This isn’t a light, popcorn thriller. It’s emotional. It’s unsettling. It demands something from you. And it absolutely must be read in order. "A Tapping at My Door" set the stage. "Hope to Die" pushed Cody to the edge. "Don’t Make a Sound" makes you wonder if he’s already fallen, and we just didn’t hear it.
The DS Nathan Cody series continues to outdo itself. Each book is more daring, more disturbing, and more emotionally rich.
I thought I knew what I was getting into. Missing child cases... I've read more than a few. The setup is familiar, almost predictable by now. But Don’t Make a Sound isn’t just another entry in the crime thriller canon. This one does something else. It crawled under my skin, and by the end, I felt gutted.
A little girl vanishes from her home in the dead of night—no sound, no struggle, just a room that no longer holds a child. And somehow, that's what hit hardest. That stillness. That absence. The team is baffled. So was I.
By now, DS Nathan Cody is still haunted. Still reckless. Still unraveling thread by thread. His past is always lurking at the edges, but this time, it’s as though something has shifted—he feels more brittle. Megan Webley is right there beside him, fierce and bright, the only one who truly sees him (and maybe the only one he can't fully hide from). Their connection is… complicated. Painfully unresolved.
But Don’t Make a Sound isn’t carried by Cody alone—it’s the entire Major Incident Team that breathes life into this book. DCI Stella Blunt, their gruff, mother-hen of a commander, continues to toe that perfect line between stern boss and secret softie. She sees more than she lets on, especially when it comes to Cody. Then there’s Grace Meade, the team's digital wizard; awkward, intense, unnervingly brilliant. She barely raises her voice, but you feel her presence. Strange, spiky, and exactly the kind of character I want to see more of.
And Jason Oxburgh. For the first time, we really see him here. The Family Liaison Officer with the quiet soul. Watching him crumble at home, with his wife, after delivering impossible news… it reminded me that behind every badge is a human being. Jackson doesn't forget that, and it’s part of what makes this book feel so real.
But what made this book linger with me wasn’t just the leads; it was the slow revelation of something truly chilling beneath the surface. The abductions aren’t random. There’s a pattern, but it’s buried. And when the second girl is taken everything tightens. The horror isn’t just in what happens, but in why it happens. And who’s behind it.
Enter Malcolm and Harriet Benson. I’m not going to say much, because part of the horror is in discovering who they are and what they believe they’re doing. I will say this: they shook me. Not in a theatrical villain kind of way. More like a creeping dread that settles in your bones and stays long after the book is closed.
And then there’s Daisy. I can’t talk about Daisy without giving too much away. Just know this: she broke me.
Jackson does something in this book I wasn't expecting. He takes you to the edge of brutality—but doesn’t let you fall off. He walks you there gently, unnervingly, and just when you think you can’t take any more, he gives you humanity. A breath. A tear. A small, quiet moment that devastates more than any murder scene could.
Would I recommend it? Yes—but not casually. This isn’t a light, popcorn thriller. It’s emotional. It’s unsettling. It demands something from you. And it absolutely must be read in order. "A Tapping at My Door" set the stage. "Hope to Die" pushed Cody to the edge. "Don’t Make a Sound" makes you wonder if he’s already fallen, and we just didn’t hear it.
The DS Nathan Cody series continues to outdo itself. Each book is more daring, more disturbing, and more emotionally rich.
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