Elsie lives alone in a terraced house. She’s elderly and has carers coming in every day but recently she’s been getting a visit on a night from a man she believes to be her son Alex even though he died in a car accident several years ago. Colette and Martyn live at the other end of the terrace. Colette blames Martyn for moving things she had hidden - pictures of her former fiancé who committed suicide, her old engagement ring; Martyn thinks Colette is losing her mind as he had no idea she had these things in her possession. What they don’t realise is that Elsie’s Alex and the person pranking Colette and Martyn is serial killer Thomas Brogan. He’s on the run and ducked into the empty house at the end of the terrace, next door to Elsie. When he discovered that he could move from one house to another through the attic he decided to play some games. When is movements are restricted by builders and he decides to have some fun with Colette and Martyn it doesn’t quite turn out the way his killings usually do.

Absolutely loved this book. A fantastic read from start to finish and the twists at the end were superb. Highly recommended.

Thanks to Netgalley, Viper Books and David Jackson for the ARC of this book in return for an honest review.

I'm a big fan of David Jackson so I was looking forward to this. And I wasn't disappointed!
I was a bit confused at first by the writing style as I'm used to books written from the point of view of the police etc but I enjoyed hearing from the killer for a change.
No spoilers but nice twist as well! Highly recommend.

or the record I believe I am David Jackson's NUMBER ONE FAN - although apparently several other bloggers are claiming this title, so I shall ignore them and continue to convince myself otherwise. (Ner Ner Ner Ner Ner Kate @bibliophileBC)

The Resident is David's latest standalone thriller published by Serpent's Tail/Profile Books and available to download/buy on 16th July 2020.  If you haven't read any of David's previous books then let me tell you this "you are really missing out and I can 100% recommend them all" and if you have read any, then let me assure you that this author just gets better and better with each book.

The Resident is NOT for the feint hearted, the squirmish and the readers with no sense of humour but it is for everyone who loves a sick, twisted and, quite frankly, hysterical serial killer.  Meet Thomas Brogan, your local serial killer with some major issues (although I'm pretty confident most serial killers have issues).  Thomas is on the run, having killed a few too many people and finds himself in an abandoned end of terrace house.  Once safely inside he explores and finds he can move across the attics of the attached 3 houses, spying on his oblivious neighbours.

There are so many things I want to say about this book, but you need to read it to find out for yourself.  I absolutely LOVED Brogan's inner thoughts, his relationship with his elderly neighbour, the run in with a dog and learning about his troubled childhood.  This book kept me absolutely glued to the screen, howling in inappropriate places, emotional and sad in others, but above all thoroughly entertained.  I know it's not right to admit that you like a twisted, dark and very disturbed serial killer, but between you and me, I don't think I'm mind if Brogan was living in my attic (although he'd have to sift through 17 years of baby clothes, furniture, unwanted files and fax machines).

Well done David Jackson, another gripping, entertaining and brilliantly written thriller.  5 stars from me.

Lots of love

THE REAL #1 FAN

Thomas Brogan is a serial killer on the run.
Having found an abandoned house in which to take shelter, he discovers that he can access the adjoining houses through the attic.
Excited, he quickly sets off to ''meet'' his neighbours.
If there's anything he enjoys more than killing, it is playing games with his victims.

The story follows Brogan's first-person account of events and is written in the form of an inner dialogue he has with his other-self.
I requested this ARC after having read the blurb, but as I haven't read anything else by David Jackson, I went into it without any great expectations.
But oh my, was I pleasantly surprised!
It was an instantly gripping read that ticked the most crucial box, in my opinion, which is having me at the edge of the seat all the way through the book.
I loved the conversation Brogan has with himself, it was original and captivating, making me want to keep reading to the point that I was wishing the book didn't end.
The Resident is a fast-paced, thrilling and intriguing story with an ending that is just a cherry on top.
It goes without saying that I will be adding David Jackson's books to my tbr list.

This really is a deeply dark and twisted story. Imagine your worse horror there is a sadistic serial killer on the loose and he’s hiding out in your attic. That’s what happens when serial killer Thomas Brogan breaks into an abandoned house and when exploring the attic realises it connects through to the next three homes. As he prowls the attics and residents of each of the homes he starts to fantasies about what he will do to each of them before moving on to his next targets but can he get away with murder again and will this time be his undoing. I am not sure I will be able to sleep in my house if I ever hear a noise from my attic again after reading this book. This would make a great show on tv.

It may only be March, but I can safely say that The Resident is - and will continue to be - one of my top books of 2020.

A mix of a psychological thriller and a black comedy, the reader is dropped into the action from the very first page - with the central character, serial killer Brogan, on the run from the cops.

Eventually, he finds a run-down end-of-terrace house and takes refuge in the loft space...which is where the games begin.

Brogan is a character so well-written and carefully crafted that it's impossible not to want to root for him at least a *little* bit - and, of course, to want to see what he gets up to next.

Martyn and Colette, the couple at the other end of the row of houses, and Elsie - Brogan's 'next door neighbour' - are among those who catch the serial killer's attention.

And, of course, each have secrets of their own - which, as the story goes on, add new layers of twists and turns that are impossible to predict.

The Resident is the kind of book that will have you hooked from the first page until the last (just make sure to avoid the attic for a while afterwards, if you have one).

5 Stars from me!

Oh I absolutely loved The Resident! David Jackson somehow manages to elevate what should be a really creepy and disturbing book into a pure genius black comedy.

Thomas Brogan - depraved serial killer - is bizarrely likeable and by far my favourite character (except maybe the little old lady). I really found myself rooting for him and at times was almost willing him to do bad things - David Jackson, what have you done to my mind?

Not your traditional crime thriller by any means but absolutely readable, absolutely brilliant and highly recommended by me!

Blurb: THERE'S A SERIAL KILLER ON THE RUN. AND HE'S HIDING IN YOUR HOUSE...


Thomas Brogan is a serial killer, and he has nowhere left to hide. At least until he finds an abandoned house at the end of a terrace on a quiet street. And when he discovers that he can access three other houses through the attic space, the real fun begins. Because the one thing that Brogan enjoys even more than killing, is playing games with his victims. And his new neighbours have more than enough dark secrets to make this game his best one yet...

A highly entertaining and very different read! Definitely not your typical serial killer thriller; well written and cleverly plotted, I would have preferred a stronger conclusion but otherwise a 5star read.

The Resident By David Jackson is a psychological Thriller unlike any I have read before we follow Serial Killer Brogan on the run from the police when he stumbles into a derelict end of terrace house to hide in the loft space and this is where the fun starts.
The narrator of the story is Brogan with his due personalities, Jackson has written him so superbly that I found Myself actually rooting for Brogan as he continues to indulge himself with the psychological games he plays with the unsuspecting residents of the street as he hops from one loft to the next.
The book at times is darkly funny and fairly gruesome the story never slows down and I kept wanting to turn the page to see what mischief Brogan would get up to next.
The other supporting cast Elise the elderly woman, Collette and Martyn the married couple with a few secrets of their own all have a role to play and advanced the story and are all well-rounded characters.
My only gripe was that I found the book ended abruptly it just seemed to stop no idea if this would be rectified in the published copy or if it was a fault with the ARC I read.

Well worth your time and hard-earned cash a thriller of the highest standard I just hope that this gets the recognition it deserves when it gets published.

I would like to thank Netgalley the publisher and the author for the ARC.

This book needs to come with a warning. It is guaranteed to give you nightmares!

Well I have to say what a fresh and brilliant psychological thriller this was. What’s worse than a serial killer? One that takes up residency in your house of course. Imagine sharing your home with a cold blooded killer? Only problem is, the home owners arn’t aware that he is there. Even when strange things start to happen, not in their wildest dream could they ever imagine that it’s down to the killer that’s been on the news.

Brogan is one messed up character. He is cold and calculating. Playing with his prey. I couldn’t help but like him a little bit though. There are some glimpses of vulnerability which made me soften towards him. They never last long though and I know it’s probably wrong, but I loved how sick in the head he is and the way his evil mind worked. It made this such a fun and exhilarating read.

The Resident will have you questioning every slight noise in your house. I know after reading this book that I will be checking under my bed and in my wardrobes to make sure there arn’t any unwanted visitors hiding there. This is an author who loves to mess with his readers minds and with each book he brings out, they get more darker and twisted. Pure brilliance! If you only read one book this year, this needs to be it.

I can safely say I have not read a book like this before, so first of all I want to point out how rare it is in a time where the book world is literally saturated with psychological thrillers and obsessed with plot twists, to come across such a unique story. So massive Congratulations to the author! I was hooked from the beginning and genuinely creeped out at times. It definitely will get you over analysing ever tiny unexplained creek your house might make! I did not guess the ending at all, partly down to the way the book is written, you feel you are going through events in real time, so you dont have time to theorize what's coming!
Great read! Many thanks to netgalley!

Dark & disturbing this novel will keep you at the edge of your seat. The plot was fast paced & creepy. The ending was satisfying & l really enjoyed this book

I would like to thank the author, the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of this book. This book is very different but it is very well written, it is creepy and darkly humorous and I will be recommending it to all my friends.

This is certainly different and I don’t think I’ve ever read anything like it!!

I do like David Jackson’s books but thought this was a tad silly if I’m honest. It didn’t freak me out at all and even though he was attacked by the dog he never suffered any injuries and surely there would have been blood lying around and the residents would have seen it. Too far fetched, even the ending was predictable. You knew what was coming.

Anyway my thanks to David, the publishers and netgalley for the ARC.

If you have an attic of any description - oh sweet Jeeepers - you might not want to read this.Which would be a shame as it's creepily good.

Brogan is a fascinating character. Despite the fact I've watched many true life crime dramas, I can't say I've heard of serial killer quite like him before and that is disturbing in itself. Brogan has a mind than you will want to explore and you do, but when you do, you will worry for ages afterwards. At least he's fictional. David Jackson who came up with this plot however is real....(haha I am slightly scared of meeting him again after this)

The more I got to know Brogan the more fearful I got and I swear I kept looking up at the ceiling. It might be a good idea to read this outside or in a bungalow with no ceiling storage at all above you. As for Brogan, his background proved to be interesting as well which made for a gripping read.

This was one hell of a twisty read. The couples in the other houses, the watching, the waiting. Ironic since this will be read when many people have to stay at home....

Jackson jitters is now a phrase.

A sincere thank you to the publisher, author and Netgalley for providing me an ebook copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. This is not my usual genre therefore am extremely pleased and grateful for opening up my mind to something totally different. 4 stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Simple but sinister idea.
There's a serial killer,and he's living in your house.
Not just living there,but watching you in your most intimate moments.
And he's messing with your head.
Unfortunately,I didn't find the killer in the least bit threatening,he seemed pathetic,and a bit childish.
The tension picked up towards the end,and the last few pages weren't quite what I expected.
Neat conclusion.

Fantastic novel. Couldn’t put it down and read in one sitting. 2nd book by David that I’ve read and they both kept me enthralled

I have just finished reading this utterly amazing, gripping and captivating page turner of a thriller. It’s every ones worst nightmare to have all their daily and nightly lives exposed to an outsider... well what they assume to be an outsider. This stunning book gripped me from the first page to the last. The amount of character depth and background is absolutely breathtaking. I am impressed and astounded by the quality and detail of this novel. I would gladly buy this in hardback when it comes out.

The devil is in the details. This sentence kept going in my mind as I read The Resident. Well, in the details and the attic.

What a brilliantly unique thriller! My expectations for this novel were sky high, and David Jackson didn’t disappoint. I had no idea I would be thrown on such a dark and twisted path, far from what I’d imagined, yet better than whatever my brain could have come up with.

Brogan is a fascinating character. We learn early on that he is a bad guy. After all, he is running from the police, and the chunks of information we get don’t picture him as the guy you’d invite for a BBQ. Yet, he is not your usual serial killer. More than ‘a kill-hide- kill yay here’s blood to satisfy our quench for murders’ The Resident is a masterpiece in characterisation. Brogan doesn’t simply kill, he imagines scenarios, he explores possibilities, he wants his victims to play a part and suffer both mentally and physically. The depth in this novel is such that more than the impending deaths, it is the exploration of Brogan’s mind that gave me all the chills. I can’t explain the strength with which he hit me. David Jackson has created one of my favourite killers, and given him a scary playground to play on, with the most fantastic cast to challenge Brogan, and show just how clever and resourceful he is… But not everything is black in Brogan and that may well be why I was so engrossed in his game. If it is easy to paint someone as the baddie and make them do the most awful thing, it is harder to depict a flawed and disturbed mind for which the reader can actually feel for. And I did feel for Brogan. I knew he was watching people with the intent to kill, I am no fool, but the waiting and planning allows the reader to experience a bit of his life, and the snippets of his childhood make him more real, more human. I remember I almost forgot he wanted to murder people!!!

On the run, Brogan finds himself in a killer’s heaven. An abandoned house connected through the attic to three inhabited homes. Old and vulnerable Elsie broke my heart and I prayed for her to stay alive. The role she plays in the book is essential in more ways than I thought possible and it is another example of the author’s talent. A middle house with a threat and a very loud couple. Then, The Fairbrights, a thirty-something seemingly cute couple… Brogan finds a new project, but things get complicated, and here lies the beauty of this novel. The intricacies of the plot take The Resident to another level. If you look up the purest definition of psychological thriller, you should find a link to this book.

The writing is knife-sharp and enhance every thought and action, giving every line a mesmerising taste.

The Resident is a terrifyingly unique kind of thriller. This book is the kind of beauty I love to read. Evil with a big E and multiple layers.