A Tapping at My Door: A gripping serial killer thriller (The DS Nathan Cody series)

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Cody has a very troubled past and is still battling demons so is far from the normal police detective often depicted in crime novels. Since I was reading this in the dark, while home alone, I have no shame in admitting that it made me feel extremely nervous. Okay, the first time it's described, it has its intended effect of grossing us out, but to repeat it every single time the character goes in there is just ridiculous. I had a feeling that the Liverpool accents weren't quite right, but my only reference point is the Beatles. The scene where I found out exactly how he was broken and by whom was one of vivid violence that was necessary in terms of understanding Cody and his problems but one that I'd rather not have had splashed across my imagination.

Although at first glance, you could be mistaken for thinking that this was an all too familiar plot of weirdo on rampage with twisted agenda, versus damaged cop, Jackson adds a certain verve to the whole affair as he sucks us in deeper to the tormented worlds of his protagonists. Which is why, even though I think 'A Tapping At My Door' was a four-star read, I don't want to read any more of this series. DS Nathan Cody, recovering from a traumatic experience while working undercover is partnered with an ex-girlfriend on the hunt for this killer which leads to old memories they would both rather forget to resurface.Every single scene of this book, and where it was set was symbolic and had real meaning and each place was used to vividly convey everything that the killer of this novel wanted to put across.

At its bottom end is the famous Adelphi Hotel, and the car park behind this forms another location for the book. A Tapping at My Door focuses on something I don't have a personal experience with but it's something I've learnt a lot about, I've met people affected by it through an organisation my grandad has been involved with from the start and so I immediately got goosebumps for the final section of this book. You know those real read-in-one-sitting thrillers, where little short of impending starvation or natural disaster would move you from the sofa? Once you know that there's going to be no response on the other end of the line, would you really keep picking it up?Again, as I have done in the past with some authors, I will make a disclaimer, in that Dave is a friend, so take my thoughts on this as you will.

Less successful for me initially (there was a slight look to the heavens) was the slightly awkward scenario of him being partnered up with a former lover, but my fears were assuaged as DC Megan Webley established herself quickly as acutely necessary to the unfolding of Cody’s story.

Could it be something in PC Terri Latham's past, something she did or that the killer believes she did?

His background story is an extremely intriguing one and I have to say I am over the moon that this is just the first in the series as I can't wait to meet up with him again. It’s not long before DC Megan Webley recognises the deceased as one of their own, a police officer she used to work with. I was so totally engrossed in the plot from page one that I didn't even see where it was going until it slapped me in the face!The whole idea of the murderer being motivated to capture birds and then plant them on the bodies of the police he kills was fine until Jackson reveals why the "birds" are so important.