I absolutely loved Two Little Girls by Kate Medina. What I hadn’t realised when I bought it, was that it was the third part of a series of novels about psychologist Dr Jessie Flynn. I loved it so much that I knew I had to go back and read the first two books in the series. Fire Damage is the first Jessie Flynn book.
Jessie is an army psychologist who is working with a very troubled four-year-old boy, the son of a major. To get to the bottom of the child’s problems, she needs to talk to his family, but they don’t want to talk to her. What is the secret they are trying to hide? Can Jessie really help the little boy?
Elsewhere, her former patient Captain Ben Callan, asks for her help in investigating a mysterious and violent death. Two soldiers went out to get some exercise on a hot day in Afghanistan, but only one of them made it home.
Then a badly damaged corpse is washed up on the coast. Is there a link between all of the cases? And can Jessie get to the bottom of it?
Fire Damage gives more of the back story about Jessie and her family, her relationship with her mother and Jessie’s own health problems. It also introduces us to Callan and DI Bobby ‘Marilyn’ Simmons, who become prominent characters in the series. I didn’t feel I needed all of this back story when I read Two Little Girls, but it was still nice to fill in the gaps. Obviously it makes sense to read a series in order, but I’ve read plenty of series out of order (particularly Jo Nesbo’s Harry Hole books).
It took me slightly longer to get into Fire Damage, than it did to get into Two Little Girls, but once I did, I absolutely loved it. It’s a real page turner, with likeable characters, and I was as desperate to get to the bottom of the various mysteries as Jessie was.
If you enjoy a psychological thriller, I would definitely recommend Fire Damage and the Jessie Flynn series.
March 26, 2019
Sounds good. Yes I agree that I sometimes need to go back to read an earlier book I have missed
March 26, 2019
It is really good and it’s nice to get more of the back story. It’s good to read books in order, but it’s not something I worry about too much!
March 26, 2019
I’ve just read a book out of order and I have to admit that I worry about things like this way too much! It really wasn’t that big of a deal, but I still feel a bit ‘urgh’ about it now!
March 26, 2019
I’m glad you braved it and it wasn’t so bad! It is preferable to read them in order, but I don’t worry if I don’t.
March 27, 2019
I love a good series, think I’ll start from the beginning! Thanks for sharing with #readwithme
March 27, 2019
I’m sure you will enjoy this one! These books are real page turners.
March 28, 2019
This sounds like a series that I would like too. I’m intrigued to know why it is called Fire Damage.
#ReadWithMe
March 28, 2019
It’s a really good series! I’m sure you would enjoy it.
March 31, 2019
This does sound like a good good series, I’ll have to look out f8r it. #Readwithme