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thestucumminsreads 's review for:
The Resident
by David Jackson
David Jackson’s The Resident is a powerful, spine-chilling and thought provoking thriller. It plays on our greatest fear - not being safe in our own home - but exploits this in a refreshingly unique way, making it an intense and exciting must-read!
Fleeing the police after his latest slaying, serial killer Thomas Brogan discovers an empty end terrace. He decides to temporarily evade the police in the derelict house, before moving on to his next victims. However, upon further exploration, he discovers that the loft space provides him access to the three other terraces in the block. It looks like his next victims have just offered themselves up to him...
I really enjoyed how The Resident is written from the serial killer’s perspective, as it gave the narrative an authentic voice and helped heighten suspense. As well as being chilled by the thought of someone like Brogan being in the house, there were moments of genuine tension when it seemed that he may be discovered. Practically every chapter ended on a cliffhanger that made me want to continue reading and I flew through the book in a couple of days. Jackson has created a narrative that progresses at a lightning pace, which makes The Resident extremely engaging and easy to read. There are a number of surprise twists in events and unexpected shock reveals, so there were moments where I was literally screaming “Noooooooo!!” at my Kindle! Much of the surprise derived from the characters that Brogan terrorises, Colette and Martyn. The married couple seem idyllic at first impression, but very quickly the true nature of their relationship and characters unravels under Brogan’s omnipresent, watchful eye. Neither Colette or Martyn are quite what they seem and Brogan’s astute observations build them into equally intriguing characters. As the novel progressed I definitely didn’t want Brogan to succeed in his plans with them, but as events crescendo to their exhilarating conclusion, there are moments where it’s clear that the couple are far from innocent themselves. Ultimately, I felt that Jackson very aptly demonstrated that none of us are entirely good or entirely evil...although some of us try very hard to prove otherwise.
Writing from Brogan’s perspective also gives the reader an insight into his mind, which adds an additional layer of both intrigue and drama to the proceedings. The conversations between Brogan’s personas are both enlightening and at times heartbreaking. His backstory is affecting - there are events that quite clearly lead him on to his reprehensible path - and garners an element of sympathy for him. Similarly, the relationship he builds with elderly resident Elsie allows the human side of Brogan to be developed and this also helps him become a well-rounded and multi-layered character. There were even points during his interactions with Elsie where I thought Brogan may reform and the human side of his psyche win out. What I found most interesting about Brogan’s characterisation is that he is far from the faceless, unknown killer that meanders menacingly through most thrillers - he is desperate flawed, but very much a product of an unfortunate upbringing and a lonely life. It doesn’t make him any less disturbing or despicable, but it does add substance to him as the perpetrating character and adds layers and complexity to this very well written tale.
I highly recommend this thriller for fans of the genre and those looking for something a little different from the norm.
Fleeing the police after his latest slaying, serial killer Thomas Brogan discovers an empty end terrace. He decides to temporarily evade the police in the derelict house, before moving on to his next victims. However, upon further exploration, he discovers that the loft space provides him access to the three other terraces in the block. It looks like his next victims have just offered themselves up to him...
I really enjoyed how The Resident is written from the serial killer’s perspective, as it gave the narrative an authentic voice and helped heighten suspense. As well as being chilled by the thought of someone like Brogan being in the house, there were moments of genuine tension when it seemed that he may be discovered. Practically every chapter ended on a cliffhanger that made me want to continue reading and I flew through the book in a couple of days. Jackson has created a narrative that progresses at a lightning pace, which makes The Resident extremely engaging and easy to read. There are a number of surprise twists in events and unexpected shock reveals, so there were moments where I was literally screaming “Noooooooo!!” at my Kindle! Much of the surprise derived from the characters that Brogan terrorises, Colette and Martyn. The married couple seem idyllic at first impression, but very quickly the true nature of their relationship and characters unravels under Brogan’s omnipresent, watchful eye. Neither Colette or Martyn are quite what they seem and Brogan’s astute observations build them into equally intriguing characters. As the novel progressed I definitely didn’t want Brogan to succeed in his plans with them, but as events crescendo to their exhilarating conclusion, there are moments where it’s clear that the couple are far from innocent themselves. Ultimately, I felt that Jackson very aptly demonstrated that none of us are entirely good or entirely evil...although some of us try very hard to prove otherwise.
Writing from Brogan’s perspective also gives the reader an insight into his mind, which adds an additional layer of both intrigue and drama to the proceedings. The conversations between Brogan’s personas are both enlightening and at times heartbreaking. His backstory is affecting - there are events that quite clearly lead him on to his reprehensible path - and garners an element of sympathy for him. Similarly, the relationship he builds with elderly resident Elsie allows the human side of Brogan to be developed and this also helps him become a well-rounded and multi-layered character. There were even points during his interactions with Elsie where I thought Brogan may reform and the human side of his psyche win out. What I found most interesting about Brogan’s characterisation is that he is far from the faceless, unknown killer that meanders menacingly through most thrillers - he is desperate flawed, but very much a product of an unfortunate upbringing and a lonely life. It doesn’t make him any less disturbing or despicable, but it does add substance to him as the perpetrating character and adds layers and complexity to this very well written tale.
I highly recommend this thriller for fans of the genre and those looking for something a little different from the norm.