This is the 14th book in the series featuring Detective Inspector Jessica Daniels. Jessica and DI Archie Davey are driving back from the Lees Estate, totally baffled as to why the estate has such a low crime rate as the crime rates on the surrounding estates have increased. The action starts when a man appears in front of their car and is killed. His girlfriend insists that he was pushed but no evidence can be found of that. Jessica then discovers that he had nearly been killed before when an ex girlfriend drove her car at him. Another body turns up in the canal and it transpires that this man too has nearly been drowned in a previous accident. Is thi# the work of a serial killer? As Jessica and her team investigate, more bodies turn up. The book then flips between the investigation of the estate and the numerous killings. We are introduced to a number of interesting characters and also into Jessica’s private life. The plots work well together with plenty of twists and turns along the way. It can easily be read as a standalone but is much more enjoyable when you read the series. I look forward to book number fifteen.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

The Unlucky Ones by Kerry Wilkinson is the twelfth book in the Detective Jessica Daniel thriller series and I have just loved these books. Kerry knows how to keep his audience! There's a lot of twists and turns throughout this book that will keep you hooked and guessing right till the end! I am finding Kerry's books in this series just getting better and better.

A man jumps out in front of a car which was driven by DC Archie Davey and Detective Jessica Daniel is in the passengers seat
What starts out with this accident leads Jessica into more "accidents".

Are they accidents?

What do they all have in common?

Will Detective Jessica Daniel be able to piece it all together?

This is full of twists and turns that will have you hooked!

Highly recommend all Kerry's books especially Detective Jessica Daniel thriller series.

I'm look forward to reading more from Kerry Wilkinson, and can't wait for his next book

Big Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the e-book ARC to read and review.

EXCERPT: It was only a fraction of a second, barely a blink, when she lifted her head. There'd been a flicker of a shadow, something that shouldn't be there...

It was already too late.

BANG!

The dark silhouette of a man bounced onto the bonnet of the car and then slammed into the windscreen with a squelch and then a crunch of glass. Somebody screamed, perhaps it was Jessica herself, and then there was a squeal of rubber on tarmac. At the same time, her ears popped as the airbag exploded into her face.

There was a thump from behind, a blurring of everything and then, momentarily, silence.

Jessica touched her cheek, wiping at the dusty powder that came with the airbag.

More silence.

Her heart was charging, breathing short and sharp. She was alive.

Then the screaming started.

ABOUT THIS BOOK: A man who survived being drowned ends up in Manchester’s canal. Someone who was hit by a car is shoved in front of DC Archie Davey’s patrol vehicle.

Killers generally aren’t a happy bunch but this particular one seems to have a problem with second chances.

Luckily for DI Jessica Daniel, things are looking up. She’s been assigned to work on the most crime-free estate in the city and she’s back living with her best friend.

Things could not be hunky-dorier.

That is unless there’s a sinister reason why the estate is so free of trouble...

MY THOUGHTS: Lordy, lordy, lordy Mr Kerry, you sure can write a book! The 14th in the series and probably only the second that I have read. I think I have been missing out.

And just what, you might ask, does a car accident have to do with a serial killer? That is why you have to read this book. It is clever, very clever, and riveting, and a diabolically great plot!

Jessica doesn't have a life outside work, perhaps that is why I can relate to her. She has a mind that makes great leaps of faith, sees patterns, connections, and the tenacity to follow them up even when everyone else is moving in the opposite direction.

I think that this is a series which I need to read from the beginning, because I have a FOMO. But really? This is a great story that is easily read as a stand-alone. But I bet that, like me, by the time you're finished you'll want to go back and start the series from the beginning.

😍🤩😍🤩.5

THE AUTHOR: Kerry Wilkinson has 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.

As well as his million-selling Jessica Daniel series, Kerry has written the Silver Blackthorn trilogy - a fantasy-adventure serial for young adults - a second crime series featuring private investigator Andrew Hunter, plus numerous standalone novels. He has been published around the world in more than a dozen languages.

Originally from the county of Somerset, Kerry has spent far 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 or bakes cakes. When he's not, he writes it all down.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Bookouture via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Unlucky Ones by Kerry Wilkinson for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the 'about'
page on Sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system.

This review and others are also published on Twitter and my webpage sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

As Easter approaches in Manchester, DI Jessica Daniel and her fellow detectives are busy investigating a series of deaths. At first glance, these don't appear to be murders, but Jessica finds an unexpected angle -- all of the victims had previously survived life-threatening situations. Henry Taylor was hit by a car, Mark Stanley drowned, Lucy fell, and Tiffany McDonnell died in a fire. The deaths don't seem to be connected until Jessica finds out about a woman, Francine, who hands out flyers talking about "God's will." Is Francine somehow responsible for seeing that these men and women aren't allowed a second chance? It seems a far reach, but the investigation proceeds. Although Jessica is focused on Francine, she's also busy trying to figure out why the formerly crime-ridden Lees Estate has suddenly become a model community. NO SPOILERS

Another complicated case with Jessica following her instincts and getting the job done with the help of her colleagues and friends. Jessica still has some issues in her personal life that are ongoing and Caroline makes an appearance along with a surprising reveal. The whole "team" thing wasn't as strong as usual in this book, but it's the 14th in series, so the reader is familiar with each member though I enjoy a lot more detail about them than was present here. The writing is good as always and I'm looking forward to the next installment. I firmly believe that these books should be read from the beginning, in order.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the e-book ARC to read and review.

This is the 14th in the Jessica Daniels series and is as brilliant as the rest! It completely took over my life for a couple of days as it was intriguing and a compelling read.

The Unlucky Ones is the fourteenth book in the Manchester-based Detective Inspector Jessica Daniel series and is undoubtedly the most entertaining instalment to date. Usually series' begin to lose steam before now but somehow this remains as compelling as ever. Each instalment can be read independently of one another without issue although you will miss out on the development of the recurring characters. I wasn't as keen on some of the recent episodes but this is a welcome return to form. There is something for both new and old Kerry Wilkinson fans to enjoy here in this easy to follow summer suspense fest.

When a blanket of calm descends on an estate known for its high crime rate DI Daniel and colleague DC Archie Davey are baffled and decide to investigate. But whilst driving through the council estate in question the worst comes to pass: they hit a pedestrian. They are dumbfounded and wonder what has hit them or...more precisely what THEY have hit. For all intents and purposes, it looks like a simple accident initially but the victim's other half insists that he was pushed into the path of the traffic. Jess then recalls another crime with a near-identical MO... Could it be that there's an evil serial killer at work in the local area?

This is a thoroughly entertaining and absorbing read with twists and turns aplenty and lots of danger and excitement. There is something happening in every chapter and as the book moves at a swift pace the story progresses quickly making it difficult to place down. As it's told solely from Jessica's perspective it allows you to become so much more immersed in the story than those told from multiple POVs. It also allows us to really get to know her; her personality, what makes her tick and details about her private life all add interest to the overall book; you feel invested in her story and she often feels like a friend. Superb! Many thanks to Bookouture for an ARC.

This is the fourteenth in the series, but I can honestly say I enjoyed it even as an introduction to DI Jessica Daniel. While she and her partner, Detective Constable Archie Davey (who is driving), are returning from an estate pondering the unusually low stats in a previously high crime area, she glances--JUST FOR A SECOND--to her cell phone and that's when their marked vehicle hits a pedestrian. He doesn't survive. Jessica will have the possible help of a sub while Archie is out, but during the course of the investigation of the estate, she also begins to see a potential link to another crime that may have something in common with the pedestrian fatality.

I like Jessica. She feels real. She has her foibles, wins and losses, and she has a lot going on in her life and a great deal of history. She also has a droll sense of humor which provides a lighter touch to otherwise sensitive issues and a wicked sense of people.

The clever well-plotted storyline begins at an easy pace, bringing in main characters introduced in previous series entries. The dialogue includes a lot of banter between characters that add an aura of real-life and the discussion of Jesus on Saturday was a classic. The scenes in Manchester gives the reader a peek into UK living.

The thriller progressed to additional deaths, all by victims of a previous near-death experience with Jessica connecting the dots amid a heart-pounding climax. As the conclusion solved the serial killer's identity and segued into the estate puzzle, money goes missing but the culprit is instantly obvious. The conclusion winds down with more of a sigh than a bang.

The novel is for me character-driven and even in this first, short introduction to the protagonist, I've become a solid fan. I was given this ebook download by the publisher and NetGalley and greatly appreciated the opportunity to read and review. A different slant on a serial killer thriller and recommended to all who enjoy a crime thriller.

Read all of Kerry Wilkinson’s books and loved them this one didn’t disappoint.
Jessica and Archie have been to an housing estate which is pretty low on crime at the moment which is puzzling them. As they drive back to the station a man steps in front of the car killing him. The mans gilfriend says he was pushed but nobody else saw it. Then they find out his ex-girlfriend drove a car at him , Then another body turns up in the canal then they find out he had been in a previous accident in the canal are the linked. As Jessica and her team try to find out more about these deaths more bodies turn up.
And while investigating these death they are still working on the housing estate trying to establish what is going on.
Thanks Kerry Wilkinson
Thanks NetGalley

Perfect psychological thriller! It moved at a fast pace with twists and turns throughout! I couldn’t put it down! Highly recommend!

I have read some of the previous books in the Jessica Daniels series and wow book 14 is no disappointment. It is probably not my favourite to date but it was another fast paced rip roaring read. I devoured the book in two days and didn't want it to end. I really like this writers style it is so easy to follow and really draws you into the story.

The book is another fast paced thriller of a read. We meet Jessica as she is leaving the Lees Estate. An estate in Manchester that has worryingly low crime statistics. Not even the hint of a stolen push bike has been reported. This should be good news for the police but the surrounding estates have seen an increase in reported crime.

Bang, we are straight into the action when leaving the estate, DC Archie Davey, her colleague fails to spot a pedestrian and he is flipped over the car and killed. This is just the start of a number of deaths in the book. Each victim has already been through a similar accident and survived first time around but the outcome of the second repeat incident always results in death.

The book flips seamlessly from the investigation as to why it is so quiet on the estate to the hunting down of the killer of numerous innocent people.

As always this is not just a police procedural as we slip into Jessica's home life. The relationship between Jessica and her friend Caroline will change forever when Jessica is faced with an unexpected situation. I loved this section of the story but don't want to give too much away.

I loved the mix of characters in the book from the old gent Roly, to the mysterious Jefferson Cass to the eccentric Francine. They really brought the book to life and living on an estate myself I could easily relate these to the people I see on a daily basis.

Although this book is part of a series you can easily read as a standalone. I can't wait for the next instalment and would definitely recommend if you are a fan of crime fiction and thrillers.

Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for allowing me an ARC.

Detective Jessica Daniel is new to me but this is the 14th book in a series. I had no problem having not read the previous books but that aside, the beginning of the book is very confusing.
Once it has been established that the three incidents are connected everything becomes much clearer.
I have read other books by this author and enjoyed them all as I did this. I highly recommend this book and thank NetGalley for letting me read this advance copy in exchange for my unbiased review.

Book 14 in the Jessica Daniel series was fast paced and definitely a bit different from the usual serial killer books. We see less of Jessica's team in this one and a bit more of her private life. This is not the best book in the series and it took me a while to get into but I loved the touches of humour. Nevertheless, I would highly recommend this book and the series. Kerry Wilkinson's writing is always fresh and keeps the reader interested. My thanks to Net Galley for my ARC. reviews on Goodreads, Amazon and Facebook.

This is the 14th book in the series and never a dull moment when DI Jessica Daniels is around. The writing just flows and is easy to read so I read this book in a day.

In this book, DI Jessica has been assigned to work on an estate that appears to be crime-free. This gets the alarm bells ringing for Jessica, especially when it used to be one of the worst ones. What is going on? Why the sudden change? Her and Archie are on their way back to the station from the estate when there is a bang, a black shape hits the windscreen, shattering it. Then noises of something rolling over the roof, bang. Something had ran into the back of them. Archie had done an emergency stop. Oh no, someone had been ran over! She checked herself, she was ok. Looked to her right, Archie seemed shocked, dazed and bleeding but not seriously hurt. Jessica got out to check to see what had happened behind them. They had hit someone! His girlfriend said someone had pushed into the road. Archie hadn’t stood a chance. Also, it turned out that it was the second time he had been ran over. The first time was by his previous girlfriend.

I really enjoyed it this book. So much so that I read it in a day! The story just worked so well, the writing flowed and it was a great plot, well thought out, the characters work well together, the usual gang are there. This is a really great series, so pleased that I found it all those moons ago!

It's no secret - I am a huge fan of Kerry Wilkinson and THE UNLUCKY ONES is the second Jessica Daniels book I have read, though it is the 14th book in the series. I know, I know - out of order and all that. While there are some elements of the book I enjoyed, there are others that I could take or leave. Overall, I think I should stop here and start reading them from the beginning in order to gain a better appreciation for the series.

THE UNLUCKY ONES takes a while to get moving as Jessica and DC Archie Davey make their way back to the station from one of the city's council estates. The Lees estate, known as the city's knife capital, has gone from being a high to low crime area in the last six months and is now unusually and unnaturally quiet. Whilst a new crime initiative has been put in place, Jessica highly doubts that is the reason for its fall in crime. Something is happening on the estate and she intends to find out.

Jessica and Davey are heading back to the station when their car hits a pedestrian who rolls over their car and then under the one behind them. The victim is very much dead and his fiance insists he was pushed but no one else saw what happened. When Jessica comes across another apparent accidental death, she is soon to link the two wondering if there could be a serial killer in their midst. Particularly given the victims had been involved in similar incidents just a few months before to that which killed them.

A suspect comes to light who is given to eccentricities and answering all their questions in riddles leaving them scratching their heads or pulling their hair out. They have nothing to hold her on so she is released. No sooner is she, then another victim is found - falling to their death from a car park just months after being thrown down the stairs by her boyfriend. The similarities cannot be ignored.

While Jessica and her team search for their suspect again, she is drawn back to the Lees estate by a phone call from one of the tenants asking for help. It seems a brick has been thrown through his window and the word GRASS has been painted on his door. The man is clearly frightened but will not make a statement, claiming it was "just kids". But then its kids who are congregating at the flat below, their bikes left outside on the pavement. What is going on behind that door? Who is the mysterious new tenant? And just what is he up to? The newcomer, Jefferson Cass, hails from Leeds but what he is doing in Manchester is anyone's guess. Jessica and DC Rowland attempt to find out but are met with an impasse both at the door and at the station. Jessica is warned to "leave Cass alone" without a reason. Then the penny drops as she realises who he really is. But something is still amiss on the estate.

Aside from Jessica's professional life, her old friend Caroline is lonely because her boyfriend is away in Australia so she has been turning up at Jessica's place and often staying the night. The two have been friends since the early twenties, I get the impression, or maybe longer. They are about to get a whole lot closer when one night Caroline writhes in pain and Jessica calls for an ambulance. When realisation dawned on the two women, Jessica sprang into action finding herself having to do something she never thought she would. With Caroline then in a coma in hospital, Jessica then calls boyfriend Hugo in Australia who then spends the next two days returning home.

I did enjoy THE UNLUCKY ONES to a point but not as much as I have Kerry's standalones. I enjoyed the comical wit that peppered the story - my favourite being about Manchester's transport structure being designed by someone tripping on some serious psychotropic mushrooms (sounds a lot like Sydney!) as well as Jessica and Davey's banter about what did Jesus do on the Saturday. Those two had me chuckling.

As I have read the previous Jessica Daniels book "Silent Suspect" which took place in Blackpool in her search for her missing friend Bex. I actually enjoyed that one more than this one, but funnily enough it was this book that warmed me up to Jessica more. Both books could be read as standalones I guess, but as they are part of a series, I think it would help to read them in order to become more familiar with all players and the references to which Jessica refers that obviously occurred in previous books.

The premise for THE UNLUCKY ONES sounded interesting which is why I opted for requesting it despite only having read the previous one and none of the others. However, what I found was that Jessica seemed to spend most of her time on the Lees estate than on the deaths outlined in the description. Maybe not, but it seemed that way to me. I am not a fan of stories surrounding council estates. They seemed to be filled with bullies - kids mostly - gangs, drugs and senseless crime. Nothing clever that could be found in other crime novels. It was the same when watching episodes of The Bill that featured one of the many council estates in the show - they were my least favourite and just didn't hold my interest. I guess I found that to be the same here. When I found Jessica heading back to the Lees estate, I thought to myself "not again".

The ending, when it came, I found to be lack lustre in comparison to Kerry's other thrillers. The solving of the serial killer kind of fell flat and the Lees estate outcome wasn't as eventful as it sounded. The twist regarding the missing money I guessed right away when it was discovered. So it wasn't much of a surprise when it was revealed in the end.

Don't get me wrong, I love Kerry Wilkinson's writing, but as a series I think I really need to stop while I'm ahead and start them from the beginning before I read any more. I may find I enjoy the series a lot more when I know what is actually happening.

However having said that, I WILL be looking forward to his next standalones which I love!

I would like to thank #KerryWilkinson, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheUnluckyOnes in exchange for an honest review.

This is another great read from Kerry Wilkinson.
Jessica is out with Archie on what seems like a normal day when suddenly there’s a body smashing into their windscreen. Archie is devastated and Jessica can’t seem to get through to him that he appeared out of nowhere.
The woman with the victim says her boyfriend was pushed into the traffic but there were no other witnesses.
Archie is suspended and Jessica needs someone to help her manage a few problems on an estate so grabs Rowland for the job.
Things seem strange in the estate as other than the trouble at the newsagents, everything else seems to be quiet.
Jessica then comes across a teenage gang and is very wary of their ringleader especially when things turn nasty.
This coupled with a murderer who is targeting those they have recently survived a previous life/death situation, means there’s lots going on in this book - and I loved it.
Jessica is on form with the banter with her friends and colleagues and I didn’t want the story to end.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Hard to believe this is the 14th instalment of the Jessica Daniel series and it is every bit as fresh a storyline as the first.

Jessica finds herself working on the Lees estate which has suddenly found itself virtually crime free. Jessica being Jessica doesnt believe for a minute that things are as they appear.
On one of her visits she is being driven back to the station by DC Archie Davy when he hits a pedestrian who appeared out of nowhere. Sadly the man is killed in the collision,
Archie suspended and Jessica told to leave the subsequent enquiry alone.
Like thats ever going to happen !
Looking closer brings to light the man had been involved in a similar incident, coincidence?
Maybe, though when Jessica discovers more so called accidental deaths where the victims had escaped similar near misses she decides to look for the connection.
Dividing her time between the deaths and the unexplained change in the Lees estate the stage is set for what turns out to be yet another great read.
The two storylines work well together, fast paced, enough twists to keep you guessing and a cliffhanger ending.
As usual I cant wait for the next installmnent in this super series.
Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read this as an ARC in return for my honest review.

I’d like to thank Bookouture and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘The Unlucky Ones’, the fourteenth in the Detective Jessica Daniel series written by Kerry Wilkinson, in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Henry Taylor is killed by a car soon after a having a near-miss, Mark Stanley has an accident in the canal then is later found drowned, Lucy jumps to her death from the top of a car park despite previously recovering from her boyfriend pushing her, and Tiffany survives a fire only to die in another one three months later. DI Jessica Daniel knows there’s a connection but she’s struggling to work out what it is.

‘The Unlucky Ones’ is an exciting and highly readable police thriller featuring DI Jessica Daniel and her side-kick DC Archie Davey. I love the way these two interact, the scrapes Jessica gets them into and the manner of speech they use which has me smiling. It has an action-packed story, interesting characters, twists and turns and a perfect ending. I can highly recommend it!

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you NetGalley.
The Unlucky Ones is the newest in the "Jessica Daniel" series.
The storyline is about people who have had near death experiences but aren't so lucky the second time around. It's up to Jessica find out what or who is behind these situations.
I'll be keeping an eye out for more books by this author.

As a big fan of Kerry Wilkinson's works and especially of the Jessica Daniel series, I was excited to grab a copy of the newest in the series, The Unlucky Ones. The story starts out with Jessica and her partner Archie driving when all of a sudden a man is in front of the car and Archie hits him. Needless to say, this shakes Archie up quite a bit because the man is dead. Jessica finds out that this is not the first time the man has been hit by a car recently. This story is about several people who have had near death experiences but then are not so lucky the next time these things happen to them. One person is drowned, another is caught in a horrible fire. It is up to Jessica to find out what, or rather who is behind these unlucky occurrences.

I really enjoyed this book and found it to be very different from the other Jessica Daniel mysteries. There seemed to be a lot more details and a lot more people involved which kept the story interesting and flowing. A big thumbs up to another great mystery with a greatly satisfying ending.

Thank you to Netgalley, Kerry Wilkinson, and Bookouture for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for an advance copy of The Unlucky Ones, the fourteenth novel to feature DI Jessica Daniels of GMP.

Jessica and DC Archie Davey are driving away from an unnaturally quiet housing estate, pondering over why it has gone from a high to low crime area when their car hits a pedestrian. The victim’s fiancée insists he was pushed but no one is quite sure. When Jess sees a link to another accidental death her suspicions are aroused and she begins to wonder if they are looking at a serial killer.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Unlucky Ones which is an exciting read with some good twists and turns. It took me a while to get round to this series and while I haven’t read the full back catalogue I’m a convert and wouldn’t miss a new addition to the series. I like the fact that it is told entirely from Jess’s point of view. It allows the reader to get fully involved, be surprised at some of the events and, if so inclined, admire her intuition and smarts as she works it all out. I further like the writing style which is very readable and easy to follow. This novel has two plot lines, the potential murder/serial killer angle and the mystery of what is happening, or rather not happening, on the Lee Estate. Both are absorbing and turn out to have less than obvious solutions although Mr Wilkinson does build up to them through the course of the novel so it’s not a complete bolt from the blue when they are resolved. I would also like to commend the neat touch at the end of the Lee Estate story which made me laugh uncomfortably.

I love the easy familiarity between the characters. Jess Daniels is not always the most relaxed character to be around but the rough humour between her and her colleagues gives the novel a natural and everyday feel and makes her more human. It would be easy to see her as some kind of superhuman with spidey senses because it’s this latter instinct that drives the investigation, proving to be right more often than not. Maybe it’s not particularly realistic but it leads to an exciting read with plenty of action and danger so I’m not knocking it.

The Unlucky Ones is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.