Estranged from her husband, but hoping for a reconciliation, Sara Prior is devastated to hear his voice in a very disturbing voicemail. Racing to his home, she is sickened to find him dead, murdered in a particularly gruesome way. With the police struggling to find any leads, and concerned that she knows more about the death than she is saying, Sara soon finds herself part of a shady, unknown world – just how are these people connected to her husband’s death? Meanwhile, DS Nathan Cody is finding that his past is well and truly catching up with him when the case takes a very personal twist…

David Jackson’s Nathan Cody series is one of my favourites and I always eagerly anticipate the next book. The previous book in the series, Don’t Make a Sound, was by far my favourite book of last year and I was desperate to see how this one would compare. I can safely say that it is, yet again, an outstanding read and has left me desperate to know what happens next!

Nathan Cody has one of the best back stories of any fictional detective and, ever since reading A Tapping at My Door, I have been waiting for the moment when David Jackson decided to reveal more about the clowns. (Other readers of this series will know what I’m talking about!) Well, it’s finally happened – and what a brilliant story it is! As usual, Nathan is full of bravado, but, at times, I genuinely feared for his safety as his past came back to haunt him. I loved how this story merged with the police investigation and was quite surprised by some of the twists along the way.

Sara is a fascinating character and I admired the strength she displayed when faced with some truly horrible people. She is a very complex woman and I liked how, for much of the book, we were left wondering if Cody was right to show empathy towards her or whether the other officers’ assumptions about her were correct.

One of the things I enjoy the most about David Jackson’s books is the setting. Being from Liverpool, I love the attention to detail and feel that, despite the dark subject matter, the best of the city is always shown. Coincidentally, I found myself in Central Library the day before reading Your Deepest Fear, and this location plays a pivotal role in one part of the book. As I was reading, I could visualise the book titles engraved on the floor leading up to the main entrance and then the route Sara took whilst inside this magnificent building. If you have never visited this library, then I can definitely recommend it – a magnificent piece of architecture where modernity merges seamlessly with history.

If you have not read any of this series, I can thoroughly recommend it.

This is the fourth in the DS Nathan Cody series, following on from, “Tapping at my Door,” “Hope to Die,” and “Don’t Make a Sound.” This is very much a series novel and works much less well as a stand-alone.

For those readers who have read the previous novels, you will already be aware that Cody, and his colleague, were tortured by a group of men in clown masks, after their undercover identity was discovered during an investigation. In his mind, Cody labelled the leading clown, Waldo, and, in previous novels, we have been aware that Waldo has been playing some mind games with Cody. In this novel, events are about to escalate…

Apart from Cody’s back-story becoming central to the plot, the team are investigating the gruesome murder of a mild-mannered office worker. Separated from his wife, Sara, she returns home from a visit to her family to find a panicked message from him on her answer-phone and discovers his body. Cody is side-lined from this investigation and forced to see a psychiatrist. However, he immediately feels a kinship with Sara, who is determined to investigate herself and find answers to what happened to her husband.

This is a novel about secrets and facing your fears. I understand why the author felt he needed to address Cody’s past, but hope that this does not take over the entire series. I do feel crime novels have to strike a delicate balance between interest in the characters (and this series has great characters) and creating interesting crimes for them to investigate. Although I did not feel this was the best so far, I enjoyed the dark humour, and I look forward to reading the next in the series. I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, for review.

Having read "Don't Make A Sound" last year and really enjoyed, I was looking forward to the next in the DS Nathan Cody series "Your Deepest Fear". Although this can be read as a standalone without any problems, it would probably be best to read at least one of the previous three, as you'll understand Cody so much more personally. You'll also appreciate how he has ended up on the brink of a mental breakdown, hellbent on retribution. Either way the author covers just the right amount of back story to refresh the reader regarding past events, without having to trawl through pages of repeated information.

"A message on Sara Prior's phone contains the last words she will ever hear from her husband. Racing to find him, she discovers he has been brutally murdered.
While the police struggle to uncover evidence around this shocking crime, it becomes clear that Sara is no ordinary bereaved wife. And she is not the sort of woman to let things lie. Following a hidden clue in her husband's last desperate phone-call, Sara follows the trail to the house of the last person she'd expect . . .
Meanwhile DS Nathan Cody finds himself drawn into the darkest and most twisted case of his career. And this time things are about to get very very personal...."

The narrative is told from Sara and Cody's part in the story and I enjoyed how the two eventually came together in a very tense and exciting denouement. I was a little disappointed and didn't feel it fit with their described persona, as to how one of the characters that was involved in the story was revealed to have played a part in the denouement but that"s just my opinion. However, the execution of the conclusion was expertly done and I was sitting on tenterhooks as it unfolded. The baddie 'Waldo' was a really frightening character and a very inventive one. In fact all of the characters had depth and I particularly liked Sara and saw her at one point a potential main protagonist for a separate series.

I did worry that the story would take Cody down the path of woeful self destruction and in a way it did but not in a run of the mill 'poor me' way. It was thoroughly understandable and justifiable and played an important part regarding the people involved in one of his earlier undercover cases, when he was brutally tortured and witnessed a sadistic and horrendous murder.

This is a quite a dark and shocking cat and mouse thriller and if you have a fear of clowns this may well not be for you. I thought it a brilliant read - although not quite up to the standards of "Don't Make A Sound" - but David Jackson is a fabulous and imaginative author and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend "Your Deepest Fear" to all crime readers.

4 stars

Do you like clowns? DS Nathan Cody doesn't, and having read Your Deepest Fear, the latest book in the series, I can fully understand why.

This is the first time I have read a book by David Jackson, and if I was being honest I'd say I might have benefitted a little from reading the other two books first. Not so much that it stopped me from understanding or enjoying this book, but just because, when we meet Cody in this book, he is damaged and sidelined by events from a previous case, events which aren't fully obvious to the uninitiated. They become clearer as you read on, but I think you'd appreciate the back story more with advance knowledge.

That said, this is a book you can definitely read first if you so choose and it may well spur you on to go back and fill in the gaps in your understanding. Win-win in that case. Unlike the situation Cody finds himself in in this latest offering. Forced to work on the very edge of a case involving a particularly gruesome murder, Cody is on edge and irritable, not helped by being forced to see a Psychologist as part of his return to work arrangements. The case, the brutal execution of a man who seemingly had no enemies is perplexing enough but when it comes too close to home for Cody, his restless nights are set to get a whole lot worse.

Now the tone of this book is quite dark. There are some pretty nasty events which take place, or are recounted, not in any barbaric detail, but enough to make a reader grimace, so prepare to go ewww. The author walks the line perfectly between too much and too little detail, but it is more in the reactions of the characters around the violence, rather than the violence itself, that the true depth of feeling comes. There is a real sense of menace underpinning the whole story, as well as intrigue as you try to work out how all the pieces of the story fit together.

I liked the character of Cody, as damaged as he is, and was hooked by his story, wanting to know more of what made him tick and what had happened in his past (cue the knock on the noggin' reminding me that I'd know that if I'd read the other books first). In this book he finds himself torn between what he knows is right, his sense of duty as a police officer, and the deep desire within him to get revenge upon someone from his past. The way in which the two stories - Cody's past and the present murder - tie together is surprising, but does work, even if on occasion the whole situation seems a little over the top and perhaps fantastical. There were a couple of moments of raised eyebrows as the situations seemed a little too convenient, but it didn't spoil my enjoyment of the story.

Perhaps one of the most surprising elements of all was Sara, the victim's wife, who has a kind of detachment and inner strength which defies the circumstance. When you learn the reason why, it does make sense, but her response to her husbands death is a mixture of remorse, grief and determination. If the police are not able to get justice for her husband, Matthew, then Sara will. She is fierce, intelligent and cunning, and I did like her, even if her almost clinical response to her husbands death does seem a little odd at first. I'd love to see her back in a future book. Who knows. Maybe we will.

If you are a fan of this series, I think you will love this, the blend of mystery, tension and darkness which carries on Cody's story and adds a new layer of uncertainty to it all. For me, as my first foray into Cody's world, I found it very entertaining, just the right blend of mystery and intensity, and I look forward to, firstly, catching up and secondly, reading more.

I love Nathan Cody! I’m not however a big fan of clowns and I guarantee that you won’t be either after you’ve reached the end of Your Greatest Fear! So now that I’ve handed out that trigger warning for all you coulrophobics out there, let me tell you all the reasons why you need to read this latest in the Nathan Cody series by David Jackson! You don’t have to have read the previous books in the series (although you really should as they are absolutely brilliant!!) but it may help you here to understand why clowns play such a huge part in Cody’s life and why his fear is completely expected after what he has been through!

Your Greatest Fear brings to a head events that have haunted Cody since his first outing in A Tapping at my Door. Whilst investigating the murder of Sara Priors husband in a violent and sustained attack, he becomes aware of a connection that falls a bit too close to home for him and it leads to some very shocking home truths for DS Nathan Cody especially! And I loved how David Jackson killed me into a false sense of security before hitting me right between the eyes with the unexpected twists. This is one of my favourite series and every book has been leading both the reader and DS Cody to this point so I was gripped from the moment I picked up this book, even though I’ve never been a huge fan of clowns myself! One of the reasons they give people the creeps is that it’s impossible to read them due to the masks or face paint that they wear so you never know what to expect-which is probably not a bad thing for poor old Nathan Cody here!!

I flew through this book desperate to discover the truth about the murder of Sara’s husband but more importantly, to see how far Cody could be pushed and whether or not he could survive the biggest threat to his career so far (if he actually has one!!). That sounds really horrible of me doesn’t it, especially considering how much I say I LOVE Nathan Cody! But I’ve been looking forward so much to finding out more about what happened to him “that night” and this book perfectly picks up all those pieces and rearranges them the right way up this time!

Your Greatest Fear is darkly gripping crime thriller with a brilliantly written plot and a flawed but likeable main character. I love David Jackson’s books and really look forward to each new one when it appears. If you’ve never read any of his books before YOU MUST!!! You can thank me later because I know you’ll love them just as much as I do!

I did not realise that this book is part of a series. I really enjoyed it. The plot and the characters kept me gripped the whole way through. I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series and hopefully falling in love with some new characters.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

Having read and enjoyed the previous books in the DS Nathan Cody series, I was keen to read the fourth novel.

I won't say that I was looking forward to it, as there have been some very disturbing scenes in the earlier stories.

Once again the setting is in Liverpool.

I like the way David Jackson continues to develop several of the police characters from the earlier books. Names such as DCI Stella Blunt, DC Megan Webley and 'Foot-long' appear again.

The character development is done in such a way that it won't matter if you missed the earlier books, but if you can, try to read the books in order.

I really liked this book, it is certainly a disturbing and fast moving story, based around a gruesome murder. During the investigation

The case is solved, eventually. Is everything what it seemed?....You'll need to read it to find out.

I give thanks to Netgalley and Zaffre, the publisher for a copy in exchange for this review.

This is a brilliantly gruesome crime thriller.
I loved the way the story came together and really felt for Cody who is investigating a murder, whilst trying to deal with his own past.
His boss tells him to see a psychologist to ensure he’s fit for duty and when he starts to talk over something that happened to him he struggles to cope.
Events soon take over though and Cody has more to worry about than whether his boss thinks he’s fit for duty.
Sara is adamant that her husband’s killer be found and starts her own investigation. Soon she realises her husband was involved in something seriously dangerous and whilst she can take care of herself, she’s soon frightened for her life.
Cody has spoken to Sara several times during the investigation but is unaware of the enquiries she’s been carrying out, and does not know how close she’s got to tracking down the murderer.
This is a fast paced crime thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat.
Thanks to Bonnier Zaffre and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Your Deepest Fear is book number four in the excellent D S Nathan Cody series by David Jackson and it is another superb thriller with plenty of twists, turns and suspense.

Cody is, unsurprisingly, still suffering the after effects of his previous cases and is stopped by his Boss from becoming too involved in the brutal murder of a local man. This leaves him frustrated.

The book doesn't follow the usual investigation rules as there are two very distinct strands or storylines with Cody trying to sort out some of his demons.

The writing draws you in and you definitely keep turning the pages.

With this being the fourth book in the series it is probably better to have read the previous ones although it could be read as a standalone without too many issues.

Overall thoroughly recommended

This is the third book I have read by this author and they are all five star reads.
Nathan Cody a detective who is on the edge due to an episode of brutal torture while working under cover.
Sarah Prior comes home to find her husband brutally murdered. What do they have in common and what is the connection?
OMG this is a real page turner, gripping, gritty and completely addictive. This book needs to be read with all the lights on. I could not put it down. A twisted game of cat and mouse which had me holding my breath and tapping my kindle faster and faster. A MUST READ I LOVED IT!!!!
I can't wait to read what Cody gets upto next. Oh did I mention the clowns and they are definitely not for children. One hell of a rollercoaster of a read. This author knows how to hook the reader in then WHAM you have just have to keep on reading. YOU HAVE TO KNOW!!!!! An easy five stars and so Highly Recommended.
I would like to thank the author, Bonnier Zaffre and Netgalley for the ARC in return for giving an honest review.

When Sara finds a strange message on her answerphone from her husband she knows something is wrong. What she didn't expect was to find him murdered.
DS Nathan Cody sets about looking for clues as to what happened and why. Sara also wants answers and investigates on her own taking her into a world of violence.

This is told by both Sara and DS Cody. Although Sara puts her life at risk she's no pushover and well able to take care of herself. Cody has demons of his own to battle in the form of a psychopathic clown who he calls Waldo.
I've not read any of this authors books before so would be interested in learning more about Waldo and how he first came into Cody's life. I loved the way the story drew me in and found myself racing through it.
Not only does it get five stars from me but it's one I have no hesitation in recommending. My grateful thanks to NetGalley for my copy. This is my honest and unbiased review

Wow ... this was almost more psychological thriller than the police procedural I was expecting - not a bad thing but a surprise!

The same fabulously addictive writing and characterisation as the last book and an intriguing double layered plot with Cody being manipulated and terrified by Waldo, the demon of his past whilst trying to dodge the questions and concerns of his ex lover and work partner Webley. Sarah the widow of the murdered man in the complex case Cody and Webley are trying solve is a great character and one who shouldn't be messed with! It's intelligent, creepy, fast paced and chilling, a book that had me triple checking that the doors were locked and jumping at the slightest noise!

Highly recommended - many thanks to NetGalley and Bonnier Zaffre for the opportunity to read an ARC of this fab book - and to write my unbiased review.

I love the Nathan Cody series, and this one certainly lived up to expectations! The team are investigating the vicious murder of a man but what was it that the killers were trying to find at his house? His wife decides to investigate herself, and she is an ex soldier who is certainly not to be messed with. Meanwhile, Cody has been forced to undergo counselling following a number of traumatic experiences at work. If you've read the previous books you'll not be surprised to hear that the clowns play a big part in this story. But how do they fit in with the current murder investigation, and will Cody finally get the closure he so desperately needs? Not for the faint hearted!! Thanks to NetGalley for a preview copy.

Where do I start?  I could start by saying I am one of David Jackson's BIGGEST fans - having loved every single book he has written.  Or that Callum Doyle was my fictional fantasy boyfriend until I met Nathan Cody, or that Don't Make a Sound went straight into my Top Ten books of 2018 when I read it last March, but I think you are beginning to get the picture.  I ABSOLUTELY LOVE DAVID JACKSON'S BOOKS and YOUR DEEPEST FEAR is no exception.

Do you need to read these books in order?  Can this be read as a standalone?  No and Yes - however once again I would say to get the full "Jackson Joy" you should start at the beginning of this series (A Tapping at My Door #1, Hope to Die #2, Don't Make a Sound #3) to understand the personalities of the main characters, their back stories and also because the first 3 books are absolutely BRILLIANT.

YOUR DEEPEST FEAR brings DS Nathan Cody (Cody to his friends) to breaking point, having to face his deepest fear whilst trying to solve a horrific murder, conquer his emotional demons and save his job.  It's an emotional rollercoaster, full of tension, clowns, frightening bad guys, a superb kick-ass heroine and a difficult crime to solve.

Fans of DS Nathan Cody will love that YOUR DEEPEST FEAR focuses much more on Cody this time than previous books bringing his vulnerability to the forefront of the story which for me personally was refreshing and added another depth to this wonderful series. 

Another knock-out from Mr Jackson - BRAVO.

I've enjoyed all of Nathan Cody's outings so far and so I was very much looking forward to this.
I wasn't disappointed. Cody's struggle with his past moves up another gear as he is tormented by the deliciously twisted Waldo. Sara is an impressively strong female character and as always I loved the descriptions of Liverpool, especially Rodney Street which I know so well.
This is a definite stay up all night to read book and one I hugely recommend!

I would like to thank Netgalley and Bonnier Zaffre for an advance copy of Your Deepest Fear, the fourth novel to feature DS Nathan Cody of the Liverpool police.

Cody and the team have a new case, the brutal murder of Matthew Prior. They are alerted when Matthew’s wife Sara finds his body after receiving a cryptic voicemail from him which warns her not to contact the police. Cody’s attention, however, is not on the case as the clowns who attacked him a few years ago are back in contact.

I enjoyed Your Deepest Fear which is more psychological thriller than police procedural. There are two strands to the novel, Sara’s efforts to uncover Matthew’s killer and Cody’s mental battle with the chief clown whom he has called Waldo, so the narrative switches between the two. I really liked Sara’s adventures as she’s a kickass heroine who isn’t afraid to mix it up but I must admit that Cody’s story left me cold for various reasons. Firstly I’m not a big fan of ongoing plot lines - investigate, solve and move on is my mantra - and this has now spanned four novels with no sign of a resolution although, admittedly, in this novel it moves on at a far greater pace. Secondly I cannot follow Cody’s thought processes on it. Why keep it all secret to the detriment of his mental health when he could share it with his boss and investigate properly? Lastly it is never entertaining to watch a character you want to identify with disintegrate in front of your eyes and seem so helpless. Having said that Waldo is a cruel psychopath and an excellent creation. His torture is refined and diabolical. No matter, the twists at the end of the novel are excellent and cancel out any previous doubts.

I may have mentioned that Cody is a troubled individual. Normally he is also a top notch investigator but not in this novel. This is all about his descent into hell and his deteriorating mental state. It’s perhaps not the most plausible of plot lines but it’s fascinating in its sadism and tortuous logic. Cody becomes a puppet to be manipulated rather than a proactive actor. It’s an interesting shift in perspective.

Your Deepest Fear is a good read.

I did enjoy this book. The genre is something that I like anyway and this book didn't disappoint.
I would reccomend this to my friends and family.

This wasn't for me unfortunately. Something just didn't gel for me. Possible that it was due it being a book in a series which I didn't realise.

If ever a book deserved more than five stars, this is it! In a year that has already given us some crime fiction gems, this one stands out. David Jackson has always been a fine writer, and his New York series was excellent, but with Nathan Cody his writing has reached a new level. His characterisation is superb, as are his descriptions of Liverpool. The events in this latest instalment are personal and Nathan is a cop on the verge of implosion as a previous case threatens to drag him into the abyss. This book left me totally drained, and I can't wait for the next!

My thanks to NetGalley and publisher Bonnier Zaffre for the ARC.
I must confess I haven't read any of the previous books in this series so for me it was a standalone. I thought the opening chapters introducing Sara and Matthew Prior were really enticing; a really good prelude to the criminal investigation. I also found the information on DS Cody's previous experiences extremely helpful in order to understand the back-story which runs into this particular novel.
Sara Prior arrives home to find a puzzling message on the answerphone from her estranged husband Matthew. Rushing to his house she finds his gruesomely murdered body.
How could anyone have hated him so much to do that? Matthew was introverted and mild-mannered.
Sara keeps replaying his last message until she begins to work out its meaning and assumes the role of avenger.
DS Cody and DC Webley are supposed to working together on the case, but Nathan Cody has other things on his mind - not least of all, apparently, his mental health, relating to a past case involving torturers in clown masks and mandatory appointments with the Force's psychologist..
However, I think there is a great deal of existentialist self-analysis on Cody's part which really is entirely unnecessary; for me this detracts from the story as a whole. Similarly, I'm not such a fan of move-by-move descriptions of close-quarter combat for Sara to overpower surprised and unsuspecting opponents.
Overall I think it was an OK story but after the introductory passages I felt it rather lost its momentum.