The Dangerous Kind by Deborah O'Connor

THE DANGEROUS KIND 

by DEBORAH O'CONNOR 

It is a truth universally acknowledged by book bloggers, that sometimes, the more you love a book, the harder it is to write a review. Case in point here with Deborah O'Connor's fantastic second novel, The Dangerous Kind, for which I have been waiting since she first told me the outline of the plot when we met a year ago and I was still reeling from her debut novel, My Husband's Son. 

Well maybe it's not so hard to review after all as basically, all you need to know is - it's amazing, it's absolutely brilliantly written and you must read it. 

More? Sigh. Ok, I'll try to do it justice. 

You know who they are. But you don't know what they've done. 

This is definitely a high concept novel and even hearing the promotional blurb surrounding O'Connor's novel is enough to send shivers down your spine. Did you know that 1 in 100 people fall into the category 'potentially dangerous'? And by 'potentially dangerous' they mean people very likely to commit a crime. Can you identify these people? Can you tell who, out of the people you surround yourself with and interact with daily, might be a potential danger to yourself or your family? 

We all know them. Those who exist just on the fringes of society. Who send prickles up the back of our neck. The charmers. The liars. The manipulators. Those who have the potential to go that one step too far. And then take another step.

O'Connor's novel has several key characters, but the main protagonist is Jessamine Gooch, a journalist who broadcasts a radio show looking into the past lives of convicted killers. By investigating these killers past histories, she's trying to ascertain whether anything else could have been done to stop them from committing such terrible crimes - can we in fact tell who might be 'potentially dangerous' and can we stop them? 

A woman gets in touch with Jessamine - a woman desperate to find her missing friend Cassie. She's worried that Cassie's abusive husband might be responsible for Cassie's disappearance and something unthinkable might have happened. As Jessamine starts to investigate, she realises that there is something far more darker and dangerous lurking much closer to home - and posing a much darker and dangerous threat to her own family...  

This really is a gripping thriller and O'Connor's novel is both bold and brave. The Dangerous Kind tackles difficult, challenging topics which are controversial and timely but her writing is so assured, polished and engaging that it is handled perfectly and the reader is caught up in a story that is both a crime thriller and a gripping exploration of society. I also really enjoyed not only how topical the subject was, but also how much the novel captured the issues prevalent in society, and the way in which podcasting, true crime and journalism is changing, as are the crimes, criminals and the threats we face. 

O'Connor clearly cares deeply about the issues she raises in this novel. The Dangerous Kind is carefully constructed which has to reflect how much research and thought must have gone into the planning and execution of this complex novel. The book incorporates a range of narratives which all help to create tension, suspense and obviously add further depth to the plot and also means it is both thoughtfully written and thought provoking. As well as different narrative voices there is also a dual timeline as we move between the past and the present, then days within the present day. This book is an impressive puzzle and each section, each revelation, each increment in pace, action, drama, perfectly managed. 

This is a crime story, a mystery story, a race against time, controversial, topical, and also a great exploration of motherhood. The relationship between Jessamine and her daughter is full of nuance and expertly presented. The author uses the framework of the crime thriller to create a story which is more sophisticated, more superior and packed with clever insights and observations about human nature and the evil which lurks in society. 

It's compelling (have I already said that too many times?!). It's haunting. It's unsettling and uncomfortable but I was hooked throughout and cared so deeply for Jessamine and her daughter. It's impossible not to when they are so three dimensional and so authentic. The writing is measured, it's incredibly effective and certainly achieves all O'Connor must have hoped for when writing. I'd love to hear more from the author about her writing process, inspirations, motivations and challenges with this novel. The planning process must have been such a tricky road to navigate but one safely and confidently done. It's such an ambitious novel and yet so accessible, fluid and readable. 

I think one of the reasons Anatomy of a Scandal by Sarah Vaughan saw so much success in 2018 was because it combined great storytelling with well crafted characters and a topical news issue. In 2019, it should be The Dangerous Kind that sees the same success and acknowledgment. This book has fantastic characters - flawed, troubled yet determined, a gripping storyline that has a heart pounding sense of urgency and a malevolent atmosphere which lingers threateningly over the pages. And a timely topic that will enthral and chill all readers. 

 Bold. Exciting. Outstanding. 

Deborah O'Connor is super talented. The Dangerous Kind will be the thriller of 2019.  

And, if this review isn't enough to convince you, then check out the rest of the reviews on this blog tour! Huge thanks to Tracy Fenton for inviting me to join the Blog Tour.