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Jessica Daniel #7
Behind Closed Doors
Detective Sergeant Jessica Daniel has barely left her house in months, isolated away from friends and colleagues. She may have given up on herself but one man is sure she still has something to offer.
DCI Jack Cole gives her a chance at redemption: An opportunity to help a neighbouring force by discovering what is going on with a reclusive community living in a stately home in the middle of nowhere.
People are going missing, turning up dead with only a vague link back to the house. But can Jessica beat her own demons in time to find out exactly what’s going on behind closed doors?
DCI Jack Cole gives her a chance at redemption: An opportunity to help a neighbouring force by discovering what is going on with a reclusive community living in a stately home in the middle of nowhere.
People are going missing, turning up dead with only a vague link back to the house. But can Jessica beat her own demons in time to find out exactly what’s going on behind closed doors?
402 pages, Paperback
First published January 16, 2014
243 people are currently reading
642 people want to read
About the author
Kerry Wilkinson
71 books1,077 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
April 23, 2017
For some reason, I hadn't even read a blurb about this book. So imagine my shock to find how wrong things have gone for Jessica in the 9 months since the last book ended. You are slowly given flashbacks filling you in on what has transpired over the past nine months.
In an attempt to get her re-engaged, Cole asks her to help another police force investigate a cult living in a manor house. A young man known to have been living there has turned up dead - beaten and drowned. Struggling as she is with her own issues, it's risky to take on this undercover assignment.
I realized about halfway through the book that I was really missing the rest of the team. There is always a bit of humor to their interactions. This is a much darker book without it. Don't get me wrong, I really liked this book, but I've loved the interaction between the team and I missed that here.
Once again, Wilkinson draws you in with an edge of your seat tale. Scary with some great creepy villains.
My thanks to netgalley and Bookouture for an advance copy of this book. I’m hoping Bookouture is about to release the remaining books Kerry Wilkinson has already written.
May 2, 2017
This is a different kind of Jessica Daniel book. While she's usually surrounded by characters that we've come to know and love over the series, in this book she's alone. She's suffered immensely lately, and she's pushed everyone away... including Adam, not for the first time. She's not working, she's not doing much of anything. Our usually scrappy Jessica is simply existing.
In an attempt to bring Jessica back to work, she's asked for help in a very unusual case: a commune that's being investigated. She is expected to live there and gather information with very little contact with the outside world. Because she would be alone and the group has connections with people that have turned up dead, it's understood that it could get very dangerous. All she has to do is wander by where the group is recruiting to attract their attention. They only invite the broken into their fold, and immediately recognise Jessica as what she now is: a broken, depressed person who needs help.
She knows shortly after she arrives that something is wrong: the list of rules is long, questions are discouraged, fear of outsiders is encouraged, and the leader seems to have a proclivity for easily manipulated young women despite his marriage. She begins to think that breaking the rules or trying to leave is leading to the deaths of innocent people but needs to have proof. Every moment she's there she's in danger, thanks to her inquiries and hidden cell phone. Can she find out the truth about this supposedly supportive group before they find out the truth about her?
Gripping and well-written. I did find it to be perhaps the darkest of the series so far and missed the usual banter between Jessica and her colleagues. Sometimes changes are necessary to keep things fresh, though. Jessica is as low as we've ever seen her, and it's easy to feel connected to her and sympathize with her. Kerry does a great job of making you feel for his characters!
I received an ARC of this novel from Net Galley and Bookouture, thank you! My review is honest and unbiased.
In an attempt to bring Jessica back to work, she's asked for help in a very unusual case: a commune that's being investigated. She is expected to live there and gather information with very little contact with the outside world. Because she would be alone and the group has connections with people that have turned up dead, it's understood that it could get very dangerous. All she has to do is wander by where the group is recruiting to attract their attention. They only invite the broken into their fold, and immediately recognise Jessica as what she now is: a broken, depressed person who needs help.
She knows shortly after she arrives that something is wrong: the list of rules is long, questions are discouraged, fear of outsiders is encouraged, and the leader seems to have a proclivity for easily manipulated young women despite his marriage. She begins to think that breaking the rules or trying to leave is leading to the deaths of innocent people but needs to have proof. Every moment she's there she's in danger, thanks to her inquiries and hidden cell phone. Can she find out the truth about this supposedly supportive group before they find out the truth about her?
Gripping and well-written. I did find it to be perhaps the darkest of the series so far and missed the usual banter between Jessica and her colleagues. Sometimes changes are necessary to keep things fresh, though. Jessica is as low as we've ever seen her, and it's easy to feel connected to her and sympathize with her. Kerry does a great job of making you feel for his characters!
I received an ARC of this novel from Net Galley and Bookouture, thank you! My review is honest and unbiased.
April 2, 2017
After suffering the loss of her father, and then losing the baby she was carrying, Detective Daniel has been holed up at home for months. She's on leave from work and doesn't even know if she is ever going back. She has chased away the man she loves.
Her supervisor approaches her and says he has a job for her that will allow her to put her toes in without working with her entire team. A young man's body has been found .. badly beaten and strangled. The are working on the assumption that he had something to do with a possible cult in the area. He wants Jessica to go in under cover to see if there is anything she sees that might allow them to get a search warrant.
Reluctantly she lets herself be recruited and what she sees is extremely troublesome. Inmates .. which in essence they are... are mostly young girls. Their 'guru' for better title likes the young girls ...too much. His wife seems to be as brainwashed as the others. There are older men who do the hard work .. yard work, mechanics, etc. But they seem as dominant as the guru.
More deaths occur and its up to Jessica to find something ...anything ... that will help put these people away. It's only when facing personal danger that she realizes what she has walked away from. But is it too late for regrets?
Having read most of this series, this book is not my favorite. It's still good, it's suspenseful, but not quite so much as the others I have read. I did see a side to Jessica that's new, but her self pity got a little tiresome. Adam, the boyfriend, has the patience of a saint, but that too got old. I was hoping he would yell at her, slam a door, something that would show his emotional upheaval.
It's been a tremendously good series so far and I fervently hope it continues.
Many thanks to the author / Bookouture / Netgalley for the digitl copy of this book. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
Her supervisor approaches her and says he has a job for her that will allow her to put her toes in without working with her entire team. A young man's body has been found .. badly beaten and strangled. The are working on the assumption that he had something to do with a possible cult in the area. He wants Jessica to go in under cover to see if there is anything she sees that might allow them to get a search warrant.
Reluctantly she lets herself be recruited and what she sees is extremely troublesome. Inmates .. which in essence they are... are mostly young girls. Their 'guru' for better title likes the young girls ...too much. His wife seems to be as brainwashed as the others. There are older men who do the hard work .. yard work, mechanics, etc. But they seem as dominant as the guru.
More deaths occur and its up to Jessica to find something ...anything ... that will help put these people away. It's only when facing personal danger that she realizes what she has walked away from. But is it too late for regrets?
Having read most of this series, this book is not my favorite. It's still good, it's suspenseful, but not quite so much as the others I have read. I did see a side to Jessica that's new, but her self pity got a little tiresome. Adam, the boyfriend, has the patience of a saint, but that too got old. I was hoping he would yell at her, slam a door, something that would show his emotional upheaval.
It's been a tremendously good series so far and I fervently hope it continues.
Many thanks to the author / Bookouture / Netgalley for the digitl copy of this book. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
April 8, 2017
Another brilliant book from this author. I love this series - it just gets better. I think this is one of my favourite crime series ever! I cannot wait for the next Jessica Daniel book!
May 5, 2014
It's really 3.5 stars. It was good but I didn't enjoy it as much as the others in the series. Part of what I like in these books are the main characters and the way they interact with each other and I definitely missed it in this one. Honestly there were very few people in this book I actually liked. And I got very frustrated waiting for all the details of what happened to her and her baby. I sort of get why he told the story like he did, but I still got annoyed with it. Even though I could guess most of what happened, I didn't like waiting to find out for sure.
February 7, 2020
I thought Behind Closed Doors was one of the best books of the Jessica Daniel Series. It was much darker than the others, and has Jessica in a very bad place in her life, but it also shows her determination and resilience.
In this one, Jessica has been on leave from her job after much in her life has fallen apart. She doesn't have the motivation to get up and carry on, but is approached and asked to go undercover in a cult. As Jessica does this, her desire to solve what is going on is engaged, but she is also in jeopardy.
I really liked this book. Although I missed the interaction and banter with her coworkers, this one showed a different, still strong, side of Jessica. She thought she was broken and at her worst, but she was still tough and able to carry out this dangerous undercover job.
In this one, Jessica has been on leave from her job after much in her life has fallen apart. She doesn't have the motivation to get up and carry on, but is approached and asked to go undercover in a cult. As Jessica does this, her desire to solve what is going on is engaged, but she is also in jeopardy.
I really liked this book. Although I missed the interaction and banter with her coworkers, this one showed a different, still strong, side of Jessica. She thought she was broken and at her worst, but she was still tough and able to carry out this dangerous undercover job.
November 22, 2017
Rating it 2.7. The good - writing was captivating and the weaving of the mystery was easy to comprehend (meaning it did not give me a headache by being overly full of complexities). The bad - not much thrill and the reveal felt loosely connected to the way the story was being told.
The reader was sidetracked with the flashbacks, which was necessary to understand the protagonist's mindset but sometimes felt as if it was author's way of increasing the size of the book.
Overall, had a quite nice buildup, but the ending was ok-ish.
The reader was sidetracked with the flashbacks, which was necessary to understand the protagonist's mindset but sometimes felt as if it was author's way of increasing the size of the book.
Overall, had a quite nice buildup, but the ending was ok-ish.
Read
November 24, 2017I was not quite ready for this story line after the sort of cliffhanger ending at the conclusion of #6.
Detective Sergeant Jessica Daniel is usually heading up her usual team and they are investigating cases in and around Manchester. Something has happened to Jessica, however, and she's broken and depressed. She hasn't been working and has alienated most of her co-workers as well as Adam, who's meant to be her husband. In an attempt to provide Jessica with some sort of lifeline, DCI Jack Cole offers a job involving a nearby police force who are investigating a sort of reclusive cult. Jessica will go solo into this weird community in an effort to discover what is going on behind the closed doors of the huge old house out in the woods.
Jessica doesn't have to fake being messed up and she's brought quickly into the fold that is dominated by a very creepy trio. Quasi religious, but mostly insulated, the cult has a lot of rules that must be followed. Even though they say that anyone can leave at anytime, there are only two ways out of the huge house -- and those doors are almost always kept locked. As in locked in. Armed with only a cell phone that she must keep hidden, Jessica tries to figure out what may have happened to a young man, found dead, who was known to have lived there right before his death. Jessica has quite an adjustment to the house routines and difficulty in getting the information she wants without being outed. The housemates are not encouraged to ask questions and most are there because life on the outside was unbearable for them. Can she figure out what is going on before they discover who she is?
This isn't as suspenseful or twisty as are the usual stories in this series, but it was well paced and had a different vibe to it. Since Jessica is on her own, the reader misses the other characters that usually are a foil for Jessica's forceful personality. I do hope she recovers now, and returns to her usual form in subsequent books. I know she had a hard time but I hope things will look up for her now and that something happy and good is in store for her!
Good for me that I have #8 ready to read next, and it will be the third Jessica Daniel in a row I've read, so off I go for more...fingers crossed!
Detective Sergeant Jessica Daniel is usually heading up her usual team and they are investigating cases in and around Manchester. Something has happened to Jessica, however, and she's broken and depressed. She hasn't been working and has alienated most of her co-workers as well as Adam, who's meant to be her husband. In an attempt to provide Jessica with some sort of lifeline, DCI Jack Cole offers a job involving a nearby police force who are investigating a sort of reclusive cult. Jessica will go solo into this weird community in an effort to discover what is going on behind the closed doors of the huge old house out in the woods.
Jessica doesn't have to fake being messed up and she's brought quickly into the fold that is dominated by a very creepy trio. Quasi religious, but mostly insulated, the cult has a lot of rules that must be followed. Even though they say that anyone can leave at anytime, there are only two ways out of the huge house -- and those doors are almost always kept locked. As in locked in. Armed with only a cell phone that she must keep hidden, Jessica tries to figure out what may have happened to a young man, found dead, who was known to have lived there right before his death. Jessica has quite an adjustment to the house routines and difficulty in getting the information she wants without being outed. The housemates are not encouraged to ask questions and most are there because life on the outside was unbearable for them. Can she figure out what is going on before they discover who she is?
This isn't as suspenseful or twisty as are the usual stories in this series, but it was well paced and had a different vibe to it. Since Jessica is on her own, the reader misses the other characters that usually are a foil for Jessica's forceful personality. I do hope she recovers now, and returns to her usual form in subsequent books. I know she had a hard time but I hope things will look up for her now and that something happy and good is in store for her!
Good for me that I have #8 ready to read next, and it will be the third Jessica Daniel in a row I've read, so off I go for more...fingers crossed!
May 8, 2017
Read all my reviews at: https://brainfartsandbooks.wordpress.com
After reading book number 6 in the Jessica Daniel series, I was certainly glad to have this one waiting for me. Book number 6 leaves us with a bit of a cliffhanger regarding whether or not Jessica is pregnant. What made me laugh is that Kerry knew going into this book that the reader would want to know right away. Did he tell us? No. Of course not. He sloooowly dragged us along chapter by chapter. Of course the parts with Jess on the job were fast moving and very exciting (but more about that later). Little snippets of what happened. Of what happened to Adam. What happened to Jessica’s parents. I mean, geez. Okay, okay, I liked it. Nice job on the stringing us along Kerry. The awesome thing about Kerry Wilkinson and the way he writes is that his brain must be so organized to create all the little details and then just whoosh them altogether so at the end the reader is not left guessing.
The plot of this book has to do with Jessica going undercover to investigate a secluded community of people that dead people keep turning up from. It is full of suspense and I was on the edge of the couch as I was reading it. I read the last 80% of the book in one sitting. That is how good this book was. It was different from other Jessica Daniel books. She works solo in this book because she is undercover the whole time. This made the book even more thrilling since there really wasn’t any backup or time for her to think in between ventures. She was completely immersed in this psycho community.
Thank you to NetGalley, Kerry Wilkinson, and Bookouture for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
After reading book number 6 in the Jessica Daniel series, I was certainly glad to have this one waiting for me. Book number 6 leaves us with a bit of a cliffhanger regarding whether or not Jessica is pregnant. What made me laugh is that Kerry knew going into this book that the reader would want to know right away. Did he tell us? No. Of course not. He sloooowly dragged us along chapter by chapter. Of course the parts with Jess on the job were fast moving and very exciting (but more about that later). Little snippets of what happened. Of what happened to Adam. What happened to Jessica’s parents. I mean, geez. Okay, okay, I liked it. Nice job on the stringing us along Kerry. The awesome thing about Kerry Wilkinson and the way he writes is that his brain must be so organized to create all the little details and then just whoosh them altogether so at the end the reader is not left guessing.
The plot of this book has to do with Jessica going undercover to investigate a secluded community of people that dead people keep turning up from. It is full of suspense and I was on the edge of the couch as I was reading it. I read the last 80% of the book in one sitting. That is how good this book was. It was different from other Jessica Daniel books. She works solo in this book because she is undercover the whole time. This made the book even more thrilling since there really wasn’t any backup or time for her to think in between ventures. She was completely immersed in this psycho community.
Thank you to NetGalley, Kerry Wilkinson, and Bookouture for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 21, 2018
This installment deviates from the other books in the series. Jess is working undercover investigating a cult living in a big manor house. There is none of the usual banter between the team members, which I missed. The book was much darker than others in the series. Not just because the customary humor wasn't there, but also because of the state Jessica is in. Despite of this, I still really enjoyed it. The pacing is fast and you feel all the emotions. Great series!
The narration by Becky Hindley was excellent as ever.
The narration by Becky Hindley was excellent as ever.
August 16, 2025
This as an ok read about a cop recovering from trauma who goes undercover in a cult to find out what she can about a former member that was murdered.
This was a fairly easy read but some of the scenarios in the book were a bit unrealistic.
This was a fairly easy read but some of the scenarios in the book were a bit unrealistic.
August 7, 2021
This is the 7th book in the Detective Sergeant Jessica Daniel series by author Kerry Wilkinson. I especially enjoy series with good characters that develop throughout and that is the case with these books.
When the body of a young man is pulled out of a canal, it appears to be a tragic case of a troubled runaway. But all is not as it seems…
Detective Sergeant Jessica Daniel has barely left her house in months, isolated away from friends and colleagues. She may have given up on herself but one man is sure she still has something to offer.
DCI Jack Cole gives her a chance at redemption: An opportunity to help a neighbouring force by discovering what is going on with a reclusive community living in a stately home in the middle of nowhere.
People are going missing, turning up dead with only a vague link back to the house. But can Jessica beat her own demons in time to find the twisted individual responsible, and discover exactly what's going on behind closed doors?
Good entertaining read.
When the body of a young man is pulled out of a canal, it appears to be a tragic case of a troubled runaway. But all is not as it seems…
Detective Sergeant Jessica Daniel has barely left her house in months, isolated away from friends and colleagues. She may have given up on herself but one man is sure she still has something to offer.
DCI Jack Cole gives her a chance at redemption: An opportunity to help a neighbouring force by discovering what is going on with a reclusive community living in a stately home in the middle of nowhere.
People are going missing, turning up dead with only a vague link back to the house. But can Jessica beat her own demons in time to find the twisted individual responsible, and discover exactly what's going on behind closed doors?
Good entertaining read.
April 6, 2017
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for this review copy.
This is the 7th book in the Jessica Daniel series. This book can be read as a standalone book, but obviously it would help to have read the previous books in the series first for continuity and understanding of the story.
I started this one with some hesitation as I felt the previous book (Thicker than Water) was lacking something and didn’t enjoy it as much as I had the others. Silly me! Jessica is back with a bang!! The last book was left on a cliff-hanger (I won’t say what in case you haven’t read it yet!) and to be honest when I started this one I was a bit confused. I had to go back to the ending of the previous book to see if I remembered it right as it seemed that I had missed out a huge chunk of storyline!! It was okay though, and as the book went on, it all came clear, with the gaps in the story being explained bit by bit.
The story switches between present day and some 9 months previously. In present day Jessica is being asked to go undercover to investigate a potential cult that has a link to a dead body. It would mean cutting ties with everyone and everything and going into a potentially dangerous situation with no means of contact with the outside world. In Jessica’s current state of mind, this suits her down to the ground and she agrees to be ‘invited’ into the house which is run by Moses and his wife Zipporah. The 9 months earlier story is the follow on to the cliff hanger from the previous book. I won’t go too much into detail for fear of spoiling the story but it had me in tears!
This was, I think, the best book of the series so far. I thought the storyline was strong and got me from page one. For me, the fact that it was just Jessica was what won it over. Whilst I love her interaction with Adam and the members of her team, it was great just to have her on her own watching her develop back into the tough policewoman we all know and love! Welcome back Jessica!!
Five stars! Onto book number 8!
This is the 7th book in the Jessica Daniel series. This book can be read as a standalone book, but obviously it would help to have read the previous books in the series first for continuity and understanding of the story.
I started this one with some hesitation as I felt the previous book (Thicker than Water) was lacking something and didn’t enjoy it as much as I had the others. Silly me! Jessica is back with a bang!! The last book was left on a cliff-hanger (I won’t say what in case you haven’t read it yet!) and to be honest when I started this one I was a bit confused. I had to go back to the ending of the previous book to see if I remembered it right as it seemed that I had missed out a huge chunk of storyline!! It was okay though, and as the book went on, it all came clear, with the gaps in the story being explained bit by bit.
The story switches between present day and some 9 months previously. In present day Jessica is being asked to go undercover to investigate a potential cult that has a link to a dead body. It would mean cutting ties with everyone and everything and going into a potentially dangerous situation with no means of contact with the outside world. In Jessica’s current state of mind, this suits her down to the ground and she agrees to be ‘invited’ into the house which is run by Moses and his wife Zipporah. The 9 months earlier story is the follow on to the cliff hanger from the previous book. I won’t go too much into detail for fear of spoiling the story but it had me in tears!
This was, I think, the best book of the series so far. I thought the storyline was strong and got me from page one. For me, the fact that it was just Jessica was what won it over. Whilst I love her interaction with Adam and the members of her team, it was great just to have her on her own watching her develop back into the tough policewoman we all know and love! Welcome back Jessica!!
Five stars! Onto book number 8!
July 25, 2023
After reading a boring book, I was intrigued by this one, read it non stop and not too repetitive. Slight plot twist at the end I wanna know what it leads to.
January 9, 2018
I thought it was very good, much better than I remembered the previous Jessica Daniels books. The story of what had happened in the previous months, interposed with that of her in the cult house over a few days worked well. I dont like stories about cults because they become devices for all sorts of abherrant behaviour, this was true here too but despite that the story was tense and you had to keep reading.
Read
March 28, 2016This novel is a British police procedural, part of a series about D.S. Jessica Daniels. I found it hard going because of the rather grim and gruesome story line. Jessica is suffering from depression and has to be kicked into action. She goes to help the neighbouring police force with an undercover job involving a sort of cult and people disappearing.
Nothing wrong with the writing, this is a well written, tightly plotted novel and part of a popular series. Just not my cup of tea as far as the story line went.
Readers who enjoy tough police procedurals will enjoy this and fans of the series get another good slice of D.S. Daniels struggling with work and her private life.
Nothing wrong with the writing, this is a well written, tightly plotted novel and part of a popular series. Just not my cup of tea as far as the story line went.
Readers who enjoy tough police procedurals will enjoy this and fans of the series get another good slice of D.S. Daniels struggling with work and her private life.
June 14, 2019
3.5 stars
Whilst not a badly written book, I didn’t enjoy this anywhere near as much as the others in the series.
Aside from the plot, which rang a few bells with both a Reacher novel and another that didn’t even stick in my mind, I found it to be a bit ‘dark’ (obviously on purpose by the author) and I missed the wit, sarcasm and laughs that I’ve come to expect from Jessica.
A well-written, but static story in my opinion and I didn’t much care for any of the characters; not even to the point of hating them.
Definitely worth reading as I’m sure this ‘lapse’ in the Daniel’s character is significant and not a long book, but not my favourite by a long shot.
Whilst not a badly written book, I didn’t enjoy this anywhere near as much as the others in the series.
Aside from the plot, which rang a few bells with both a Reacher novel and another that didn’t even stick in my mind, I found it to be a bit ‘dark’ (obviously on purpose by the author) and I missed the wit, sarcasm and laughs that I’ve come to expect from Jessica.
A well-written, but static story in my opinion and I didn’t much care for any of the characters; not even to the point of hating them.
Definitely worth reading as I’m sure this ‘lapse’ in the Daniel’s character is significant and not a long book, but not my favourite by a long shot.
January 20, 2014
This book took me a few hours to read as I was so caught up in the parallel stories! It was my favourite Jessica Daniel book so far. I am looking forward to the next - but hoping that Jess gets a happy ending at some point, there can't be much more she can go through and stay sane (ish). Keep them coming Kerry!
October 12, 2017
A GRIPPING READ!!
1. Characters ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Jessica Daniel is a Detective Sergeant.
Jack Cole is a Detective Chief Inspector.
Adam Compton is Jessica's husband.
Jan/Moses and Sofie/Zipporah own a home for runaways.
Heather is Jessica's roommate.
Glenn works for Moses and Zipporah.
2. Plot ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
A young man is being drowned; asking for forgiveness. He was beaten.
Jessica is on indefinite leave. She's had a difficult past 9 months. She doesn't want to see anyone, go anywhere. Her boss and friend Jack Cole knocks on her door, wanting to talk to her. She finally lets him in. He talks to her about Liam, the man who was beaten and drowned. He wants her to investigate the case. She would infiltrate the home by being "recruited" and find out what's going on. Jessica agrees; willing to share what's happened to her to get recruited. She will be working alone with no outside help.
She recalls 9 months earlier when she finds out she's pregnant and how happy she and Adam were. They visit her parent's house to bring the good news. While they're visiting, her dad collapses on the ground.
Jessica is recruited and arrives at the house. Zipporah tells her the house rules and takes her to her room shared with Heather.
Jessica remembers being at the hospital with Adam. Her dad is very I'll and isn't going to make it.
Jessica's chore is to work in the yard. She sees someone she arrested in the past. Wayne recognizes her and starts yelling. Glenn, the foreman, gets Wayne and realizes he's been drinking. Moses tells the group that Wayne decided to leave the house.
When Jessica returns to her room, she recalls her dad's funeral. She's having pain in her abdomen.
She needs to get evidence of what's going on in the house so she can report it and get out. She touches her abdomen, knowing she lost the baby.
What happens to Wayne? Will Jessica get the evidence she needs to get Moses? Will Moses and Zipporah find out she's a police officer? I won't say anymore! This is a real page-turning read....you won't be disappointed!
3. Writing Structure ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Kerry has written a very gripping thriller. He manages to create two separate storylines that come together perfectly. I absolutely love Jessica's backstory and the pain she has endured that helps her in the current case. Kerry's attention to detail is excellent; he is able to bring the reader right there in any given scene. It's a definite must-read!
4. Ending ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
WOW! The ending is fast-paced! I couldn't put it down! As Jessica finds out what's going on and who's behind it...I was totally surprised. It was the least person I would suspect. My recommendation...get the book!
5. Overall ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This is Book 7 in the DS Jessica Daniel Series. I love how Kerry has developed the character of Jessica. From Book 1 to now, you see how she grows in who she is and how she interacts with others. It's hard for her to trust her friends and show any kind of emotion but she continues to try. I can't wait to see what happens in Book 8. I absolutely love Jessica Daniel!
1. Characters ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Jessica Daniel is a Detective Sergeant.
Jack Cole is a Detective Chief Inspector.
Adam Compton is Jessica's husband.
Jan/Moses and Sofie/Zipporah own a home for runaways.
Heather is Jessica's roommate.
Glenn works for Moses and Zipporah.
2. Plot ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
A young man is being drowned; asking for forgiveness. He was beaten.
Jessica is on indefinite leave. She's had a difficult past 9 months. She doesn't want to see anyone, go anywhere. Her boss and friend Jack Cole knocks on her door, wanting to talk to her. She finally lets him in. He talks to her about Liam, the man who was beaten and drowned. He wants her to investigate the case. She would infiltrate the home by being "recruited" and find out what's going on. Jessica agrees; willing to share what's happened to her to get recruited. She will be working alone with no outside help.
She recalls 9 months earlier when she finds out she's pregnant and how happy she and Adam were. They visit her parent's house to bring the good news. While they're visiting, her dad collapses on the ground.
Jessica is recruited and arrives at the house. Zipporah tells her the house rules and takes her to her room shared with Heather.
Jessica remembers being at the hospital with Adam. Her dad is very I'll and isn't going to make it.
Jessica's chore is to work in the yard. She sees someone she arrested in the past. Wayne recognizes her and starts yelling. Glenn, the foreman, gets Wayne and realizes he's been drinking. Moses tells the group that Wayne decided to leave the house.
When Jessica returns to her room, she recalls her dad's funeral. She's having pain in her abdomen.
She needs to get evidence of what's going on in the house so she can report it and get out. She touches her abdomen, knowing she lost the baby.
What happens to Wayne? Will Jessica get the evidence she needs to get Moses? Will Moses and Zipporah find out she's a police officer? I won't say anymore! This is a real page-turning read....you won't be disappointed!
3. Writing Structure ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Kerry has written a very gripping thriller. He manages to create two separate storylines that come together perfectly. I absolutely love Jessica's backstory and the pain she has endured that helps her in the current case. Kerry's attention to detail is excellent; he is able to bring the reader right there in any given scene. It's a definite must-read!
4. Ending ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
WOW! The ending is fast-paced! I couldn't put it down! As Jessica finds out what's going on and who's behind it...I was totally surprised. It was the least person I would suspect. My recommendation...get the book!
5. Overall ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This is Book 7 in the DS Jessica Daniel Series. I love how Kerry has developed the character of Jessica. From Book 1 to now, you see how she grows in who she is and how she interacts with others. It's hard for her to trust her friends and show any kind of emotion but she continues to try. I can't wait to see what happens in Book 8. I absolutely love Jessica Daniel!
February 13, 2023
It’s really hard for me to rate this book. I love the Jessica Daniel series and I think Kerry Wilkinson is an outstanding writer. This was however not my favorite book of the series because the style was such a departure from the usual setup of the fast-paced police procedurals where Jessica is surrounded by her team of police friends and colleagues, her partner Adam, and her friends. This is a very dark book, where nine months have passed since the previous book. Jessica is depressed, not bathing and not functional. She has not been back to work because of two major losses—the loss of her father and the death of her unborn child. One of her supervisors suggests she infiltrate a local cult. The cult plot was very dark and while I don’t think the author did a bad job with it… I’ve read a lot of books with cult plotlines in them lately and didn’t feel this one added anything particularly fresh. 3/5 stars.
December 7, 2025
Okay it lost a star because it wasn’t my favourite book of the series so far. I love all the sub characters in this book and having none of them in it felt wrong.
Positives -> I love how Kerry Wilkinson portrays women. Jessica is strong determined woman who is hard working and never relied on a man and this book empowers that.
This is the first book or form of media at all that I feel truly depicts the grief, anger and border line madness a miscarriage can cause. It isn’t just oh we can try again for everyone and Jessica really embodied how I felt. Never wanting to leave ur house and feeling like the grief could kill you and being so angry at the world.
I was hooked and needed to know what happened.
And ofc the queens iconic comeback “i am DS Jessica Daniel’s” iconic.
Negatives -> this book made me super uncomfy the whole cult setting and vibe and the green room it just made me feel really uncomfortable and horrible.
No subcharacters until the very end
Positives -> I love how Kerry Wilkinson portrays women. Jessica is strong determined woman who is hard working and never relied on a man and this book empowers that.
This is the first book or form of media at all that I feel truly depicts the grief, anger and border line madness a miscarriage can cause. It isn’t just oh we can try again for everyone and Jessica really embodied how I felt. Never wanting to leave ur house and feeling like the grief could kill you and being so angry at the world.
I was hooked and needed to know what happened.
And ofc the queens iconic comeback “i am DS Jessica Daniel’s” iconic.
Negatives -> this book made me super uncomfy the whole cult setting and vibe and the green room it just made me feel really uncomfortable and horrible.
No subcharacters until the very end
November 2, 2019
This book was incredible. Even though I hadn't read any of the previous books in the series, it wasn't hard to understand the plot and the background of Jessica. It is well written and it fills you in on both Jessica's life and the adventure she has put herself in. All the characters are well described and the story is just magnificent. I totally recommend this book, even if you haven't read the previous books, it still makes perfect sense and leaves you wanting more. The way the author chose to end the story was brilliant and the way each character reacted made the ending unforgettable, as well as Jessica's personal life and how she dealt with everything. All in all, Behind Closed Doors was one of the best books I've read so far.
August 3, 2024
Having read every Jessica Daniels book by now, some of them 10 years ago, I am reflecting on all of them now.
This is by far the darkest in the whole series, and even after reading it more than 10 years ago, I still remember the terrors of the greenroom in this book, but also how different it was from all the others.
I feel like we learned more about Jessica in this book, she let her façade down and we got an insight into the mind of a grieving, lost woman.
This book also made me love Adam more than I even could, as he is just so supportive and amazing!
I loved every book Kerry Wilkinson wrote, and also I get a bit scared when he explores these very dark corners of his mind, it makes for an amazing read!
This is by far the darkest in the whole series, and even after reading it more than 10 years ago, I still remember the terrors of the greenroom in this book, but also how different it was from all the others.
I feel like we learned more about Jessica in this book, she let her façade down and we got an insight into the mind of a grieving, lost woman.
This book also made me love Adam more than I even could, as he is just so supportive and amazing!
I loved every book Kerry Wilkinson wrote, and also I get a bit scared when he explores these very dark corners of his mind, it makes for an amazing read!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 13, 2022
First Kerry Wilkinson I have read. This was good, was drawn to the broken DS Jessica Daniel & her accepting persuasion to re-engage with her job after two devastating traumas had caused her to breakdown & hide away from everything & everyone she knew.
DS took on the highly dangerous task of finding out about the ….dark mystery surrounding the reclusive community in the isolated country mansion where rumour had it a ‘cult for lost souls’ lived.
And when a man’s body is found whose death was caused by drowning, it appeared he had been living as a member of this mysterious community.
4.75/5
DS took on the highly dangerous task of finding out about the ….dark mystery surrounding the reclusive community in the isolated country mansion where rumour had it a ‘cult for lost souls’ lived.
And when a man’s body is found whose death was caused by drowning, it appeared he had been living as a member of this mysterious community.
4.75/5
January 21, 2018
Religious cult as the theme of crime cases is totally my type of story, so the plotline is a yes from me. But I think the author can do better than this, like he could focus more on the main character solving the case instead of her own issues and stuff. Maybe it's just me but I do not like when the crime story revolves more around the character solving their emotional issues instead of their cases.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 1, 2019
JD number 7. This book is sad because Jessica firstly loses her father and then has a miscarriage, she's completely broken and vulnerable. But after many months of hiding away she goes undercover into a cult. This is a totally different story to what Kerry normally writes, but it's an excellent read. I read it in two sittings because it was un-putdownable. Totally engrossing. I'd highly recommend.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 9, 2018
I expected more from this book - the plot looked promising , the main characters seemed to be interesting - in the beginning. Gradually it slipped into a cliché - and some parts of this story were really testing my patience , however I finished it - which says it is not an absolute disaster in my view :) Maybe I made a mistake to pick up this book and jump right into the volume 7, who knows.
April 19, 2018
Thank you Netgalley for the electronic copy in exchange for an honest review.
I discovered Kerry Wilkinson through Netgalley and she is now one of my favorite authors ever! I have read all of her books and can't wait for more. This novel is no exception; it has everything you will want in a mystery suspense novel. The Jessica Daniel character grows more from novel to novel.~
I discovered Kerry Wilkinson through Netgalley and she is now one of my favorite authors ever! I have read all of her books and can't wait for more. This novel is no exception; it has everything you will want in a mystery suspense novel. The Jessica Daniel character grows more from novel to novel.~
April 25, 2018
I just love Kerry Wilkinson's books and this book Behind Closed Doors - Detective Jessica Daniel thriller series Book 7 was just Brilliant. I am finding this series getting better and Better. One of my favourite Detectives series.
Thank you Netgalley for the electronic copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you Netgalley for the electronic copy in exchange for an honest review.
September 23, 2019
This was my absolute favourite book out of the series. Straight from the start I was hooked. Tense, emotional and captivating!
We got to see Jessica from her emotional and true side and I felt like I really understand her and connect with her.
She really is a character that I want to spend more time with. This is an amazing series from Kerry Wilkinson
We got to see Jessica from her emotional and true side and I felt like I really understand her and connect with her.
She really is a character that I want to spend more time with. This is an amazing series from Kerry Wilkinson
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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