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David Videcette Books In Order

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Publication Order of DI Jake Flannagan Books

The Theseus Paradox (2015)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Detriment (2017)Description / Buy at Amazon

Publication Order of Non-Fiction Books

David Videcette is a British detective mystery writer best known for writing the “DI Jake Flannagan” series of novels. He is a former Scotland Yard Detective with the London Metropolitan Police who specialized in organized crime and terrorism. During a career spanning more than two decades he has tracked down many dangerous criminals, interviewed numerous witnesses, and searched hundreds of properties. Today he puts that knowledge into use in writing the “DI Jake Flannagan” series of novels. The first novel of the series is “The Theseus Paradox” that was first published in 2016. He currently lives in London and works for high net worth individuals as a consultant in their security operations. He also loves to offer commentary on policing, terrorism, and crime in newspapers and various media. Most of his novels draw inspiration from real life happenings and facts that he was directly involved in as a police officer for over two decades working with the Metropolitan Police. His work with the Met as an investigator and detective meant that he had to conduct a lot of analysis, fact finding, and groundwork aspects of which he employs in the research for his novels. As a police detective, he used to write a lot of reports that were detailed and long pieces to be read by court judges and prosecutors. Since becoming a fiction writer he has had to adapt his writing for a different audience and now can write in sometimes factual, serious, and even lighthearted tones depending on the audience. However, even as he tailors his work to different audiences the novels of the “DI Jake Flannagan” series include raucous behavior, drinking and sex.

What makes David Videcette’s writing so different from that of his contemporaries is that he writes from his own experiences. As compared to modern crime fiction which tell the story from different voices and perspectives, he goes against that thread by asserting that it would be unrealistic. Having worked as an investigator, his novels take a real life approach where things are seen from only one angle, that of the investigator. As such, the novels of the DI Flannagan series of novels only show the detective’s point of view and never allow the audience to look over the criminals shoulder. This is opposed to what audiences are used to in crime fiction and movies where they see everything about the suspect. For Vicedette, allowing the detective to see what the criminal sees is akin to cheating as this never happens in real life. For the most part, Vicedette has been influenced by “The Bill” a TV drama which has inspired several subplots in the series. He at one time worked on the show as an advisor, helping the scriptwriter tell the narrative from a police officer’s point of view. As such, the reader can never see the crime until the detective sees it which provides a lot of intrigue for what is coming next. Just like in real life the reader does not get to read about new discoveries, voices, or scenes until the investigator has them too. Having worked for two decades in the Metropolitan police investigating terrorism and organized crime and working on some of the most infamous and largest crimes, David comes with a unique view of government, intelligence services, and the working of the police.

The lead character of the DI Jake Flannagan series of novels is Jake Flannagan a man passionate about his work in the police force. As a detective, Jake always goes the extra mile in everything he wants to do even going undercover when he has been expressly forbidden from doing so by his superiors. While he is great at his job, his personal life is a shambles as he always seems to stumble from crisis to crisis. He once had a great family life with a great home, children and a lovely wife, but lost it all after the death of his mother, which had so affected him that he neglected his family. Since then things have been falling apart in his private life even as he redoubled his commitment and passion to his job. DI Jake Flannagan is an intriguing character that most of his colleagues and even superiors deem to be a loose cannon. He is always taking unnecessary risks and may be considered a liability in certain situations. However, digging deeper into his character, one sees a man deeply scarred by his experiences, which have made him stronger though he has his human flaws.

“The Theseus Paradox” the first novel of the series is a steady and tense read that introduces Detective Inspector Jake Flannagan, a Bruce Willis like character of the London Metropolitan police. Set in West Yorkshire, the novel tells the story of the 7/7 London bombings form the perspective of the detective inspector who investigates the perpetrators. Jake is something of a law unto himself as he often goes against the set out rules preferring to go with his gut. DI Jake lights up the novel as he offers insights into the workings of the police even as we get a look into Jake’s world. Insights into his personal experiences, weight of knowledge, and obvious insight makes for a fascinating story. The author tells of the red tape and machinations that go on inside the intelligence services. Flannagan gets insider information from a secret agent who is also his girlfriend, which he uses to operate outside the law that he later employs to prevent a planned attack. Through Jake, the author offers an insider look into how hard the intelligence services work, even though the red tape can be frustrating at times.

“The Detriment” is an excellent detective crime novel that deals with extremism, fundamentalism, and terrorism in the United Kingdom. The lead protagonist DI Jake Flannagan is a well-intentioned man who nevertheless has loud and insistent demons, similar to many detectives found in contemporary crime fiction. Despite his many failing such as womanizing, hard drinking, and cheap sex, he is a great detective who always does his best in performing the duties expected of him. The novel tells of the 7/7 b0ombings and the aftermath of the terrorist attacks which brought a lot of emotional and physical pain that left its victims scarred for decades. DI Flannagan unearths more questions than answers in his investigations as he quickly runs into a brick wall both on the street and back at police headquarters. Important information about the case is so badly kept that he finds it almost impossible to sift through all of it to get to what he wants. To make matters worse, Flannagan’s girlfriend goes missing and he faces suspension for going against police regulations. His search for his girlfriend and his investigations into the bombings lead to a big clash between work and private life that threatens to overwhelm Jake.

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