I Am Number Four (DCI Danny Flint Book 9) (2024)

DCI Danny Flint is a great main character that I enjoyed reading about in the previous 3 books in the series.

While this one is number 9 , it can still be read as a standalone but i would recommend to read as much as possible before this because you can get a broader picture of the detectives team and their ways of investigation.

Right from the prologue, I knew this story will be different. And I mean different in a good way.

The letter that a dying mother left for her lawyer and what she disclosed while making her brother promise that he will keep her son safe at the farm, intrigued me and I needed to know where everything goes.
Of course that after that prologue I had my theories and I was pretty much on point with them, but that didn’t deter me to enjoy this story fully.

“I am number four “ is an engrossing read with a great detective full of determination and so many twists.

📖Very grateful to the publisher for my review copy

I couldn't put this book down. From start to finish, I was hooked from the beginning. This is a perfect read on a cold day.

This is #8 in the DCI Danny Flint series but can easily be read as a standalone.

A woman is found near woods, naked except for a blanket, and with severe injuries. Just before passing out, she managed to speak four words, “I am number four”. DCI Danny and his Major Crimes Investigation Unit are on the case, but if this is number four, who and where are numbers one, two, and three?

Then another woman goes missing, and the team is in a race against time to stop her becoming number five.

An absolutely brilliant, gripping read. I really enjoy the Danny Flint series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Inkubator Books for an advance reader copy in return for an honest review.

This is book nine of the DCI Danny Flint series and sees DCI Danny Flint and his team of investigators at the Mayor Crimes Investigation Unit (MCIU) in Nottinghamshire, soon caught up with two separate investigations, which may actually be linked. An elderly woman, Mrs Margaret White, was found murdered in her bungalow after a neighbour raised concerns after not seeing her for a few days. The crime scene is almost identical to a murder of another woman, Florence King, some four or five years previously. The same strange behaviours of the killer were noted at this scene, but the previous killer was never found. That investigation had been cut short due to the miners strikes at the time, leaving the lead, DCI Les Swift to hand in his papers and retire in disgust, also warning the killer would strike again. Now it seems he has! Mrs White’s son is a local councillor and told DCI Flint he would be speaking to the Chief Constable, straight after he identified his mother’s body. The very next morning, DCI Flint is called into the head of the CID’s office and questioned about how he is handling the case by his boss, DCS Potter. Thankfully, the pressure form the Chief Constable has given Flint extra manpower and no limits on overtime or resources, with the help of two units from the Special Operations Unit also tasked to the case. He needs to get results and fast!
A naked woman walked out of the woods and onto a railway line, where a maintenance team were working and collapsed just as one of them reached her. When asked her name, all she said was, ‘I’m number four’! She had managed to come to after a dog was barking loudly nearby and found the back of the vehicle she had been left in, under a blanket, was open. All she knew was that she needed to get away from the hulking man who had held her for months, before hitting on the head with a hammer and clearly trying to dump her body! DCI Flint and the rest of the MCIU team know this probably means there are more people who were abducted by the same person and they need to check into missing persons cases, to try and identify the woman who escaped. It is touch and go whether she will even survive and so a murder case is started, by DCI Flint knows he could be pulled off it at any time, to focus on the White and King murders. It turns out the woman is a mother of two and a wife, who has been missing for six whole months. They have no idea where she was held, only that she was starved and badly beaten, as well as confined with chains. The man who has abducted the women, has done so for a particular reason, which is explained in the story. When one dies, for whatever reason, he needs to find a replacement. None of the disappearances have been linked so far, but that is all about to change if DCI Flint has his way.
The story also details the reasoning of the killer of the two elderly women and the unit’s investigations linking their murders. A large gap occurred between the two murders, but there were too many similarities to ignore and not positively link the cases. What does this have to do with the missing women? DCI Flint is getting pressure piled on to him because of who the second victim was and who her son was connected to. Murder cases hold a much bigger sway with the bosses and money talks unfortunately. A sad situation with number four and the discovery of who was behind the abduction and why! A sneaky twist added to the tail of that investigation, making for an unhappy relative. Some of the incidents in the story will not yet be solved and are obviously a teaser for something happening in the next book. Who this killer is and what their motivations are, is unclear, but each victim is similar in looks and age, so obviously are important to the killer somehow. I look forward to reading the next book to see if DCI Flint and the MCIU team manage to stop this killer before another victim is found. The series is full of police procedures and the laborious steps the investigators have to take to ensure a case can go to court and a suspect will not get off too lightly! Great details and full of fascinating characters doing what they do best, as they try to solve cases. I received an ARC copy of this book from BookSprout and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Inkubator Books for an advance copy of I Am Number Four, the ninth novel to feature DCI Danny Flint of Nottinghamshire Police’ Major Crime Investigation Unit, set in 1988.

A badly injured woman steps out of local woods and identifies herself as Number Four before collapsing. This leads DCI Danny Flint to believe that there are previous victims and he may be hunting a killer. Then another woman goes missing.

I enjoyed I Am Number Four, which is a compulsive police procedural on the investigative side, although I was less enamoured by the fact that the perpetrator and his motive are identified early on to the reader. It’s perhaps not as obvious and stereotyped as the usual I was abused as a child trope and because of what it is it is actually harder to believe.

This abduction investigation is the second one the team take on in short order as they are already investigating the murder of a pensioner that bears a strong correlation to one five years earlier. Although the abduction turns out to be the bigger and broader case, the murder is the one that carries political pressure due to the victim’s son being a councillor. I found the senior leadership response fairly typical, short term thinking to appease those who shout loudest. It’s interesting how Danny ignores the pressure and conducts a very professional investigation as the murder enquiry wilts under a lack of clues.

The novel held my attention throughout with its detailed investigation and the story of what happened to the previous abductees. I don’t think that all the abductor’s actions fit with the personality he is given and that spoiled the novel a little for me. I will be interested to see if the implied cliffhanger at the end of the novel is explored further or if it simply one the team chalk up to experience.

I Am Number Four is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

A dying woman makes her brother promise to take care of her mentally challenged son.
She also leaves a letter with her lawyer with explosive details of her son's father.

A woman is found, gravely injured and naked apart from a dirty blanket just outside Beckets woods. When questioned who she is, her response is "I am Number Four"

DCI Danny Flint is investigating the murder of an elderly woman, when his attention is brought to the case of "Number Four".

Women are going missing and Danny Flint is trying to find any clues or witnesses. Until a woman is almost snatched from outside her home, and there are eye witnesses, and the vehicle is described.

Through solid police work and excellent investigation work by his team, the kidnapping cases are solved.

However, the murder of elderly women has only one real forensic clue about the cold blooded killer who strikes with long intervals between murders.

I really enjoyed this novel by Trevor Negus. It kept me on the edge of my seat from the first page.
Absolutely fabulous writing, fast paced and gripping.
Definitely a book that makes one want to read 'just one more chapter'!!
This is the second book I have read by this author and both books have kept me riveted. I definitly recommend.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me read this book in exchange for an honest review.
5/5 stars

I am Number 4 is a totally gripping thriller. Although, as a reader we know who the perpetrator is from very early on (it is written so that we do know) knowing who it is doesn't spoil the book at all. It actually adds to the tension and you feel somewhat sorry for him. His upbringing and several other factors does make you think more deeply about how he has come to this dreadful path. I just wanted him stopped and fast.
The writing is great and the pace is set just right. The Police procedural aspect is interesting and not to repetitive. Sometimes you can read the same thing over and over as they explain to each different police man or woman but not so here, yes there is a little but nothing that goes over the top. I was drawn into the story really quickly and enjoyed it thoroughly. you can completely see what the next book in the series is going to go. A great series that I am looking forward to the next one.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

So this is the 9th book in the DCI Danny Flint series, and while I don't feel disadvantaged from not reading any of the previous novels, I do know that my TBR list has acquired 8 more books.

Danny and his team are faced with not one, but two investigations running simultaneously. The first the murder of an elderly woman, which bears a striking resemblance to a murder from a few years before. The second is the main focus of the book after an unknown woman is found wandering near a train line and states "I am number 4".

While you are aware of the perpetrator of the abductions, it's intriguing following how the team finally find him and bring him to justice. I was a little disappointed with the fact that we didn't find out who was murdering the elderly women or why, but it all makes sense at the end.

My first Trevor Negus book, but definitely not my last.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

The book intensely demonstrates police work from the moment a body is found, keeping note of the date and time: 2nd to 23rd September 1988. The story goes back and forth between DCI Flint and other characters, as well as dates 1986 to 1988. The events in both timelines are chronological and 1986 soon catches up to 1988 when the criminal is arrested. Readers already know who the criminal is so only have to follow the investigation and history, able to get insight on all events. I lose interest in the police investigation, and the only character I care about is Jessica. I also don't follow the relevance of the first death. The interview with the criminal is good because the narrative explains further into his state of mind and reveals a twist.

I received a free copy and am leaving a review voluntarily.
Thank you to Hidden Gems Books and author.

😰☠ Totally chilling !

March 1986, Nottinghamshire, England:

The dying woman, devastated by cancer, knew full well that the end of her life was near.

She called her son and asked him to look for his uncle urgently.
The uncle came, sat down and listened to his sister's last wishes.

Because the brother and sister were both hiding an unmentionable secret.
The sister threatened...
The brother complied...
The sister breathed her last...

--------------------

A totally thrilling and chilling thriller to read, which features a monstrous serial killer and a team of police who lead the investigation.

The suspense is breathtaking, the background story is captivating and leaves the reader with an impression of reality, that all of this could happen to anyone of us...

I will read other books by this author whose writing style I like.
A must read for fans of the genre.

DCI Danny Flint and his team are back in another well written outing. A young woman stagers onto the railway line, luckily there are workmen on the track not trains.
An elderly woman is found dead in her bedroom, she has been murdered. The team have to work both cases with very little to go on. Danny is being pressurised to focus on the murder but he feels that the other case could also involve murder as when the woman was asked who she was she replied "I am number 4".
This book is really good and well worth reading, it does not matter if you have not read any of the others as it stands well on its its own.

I always look forward to the next book in this series and I've never been disappointed yet. Danny and his team have 2 investigations on the go, the murder of an elderly woman and separately, the abduction of several women.

As usual, this is a gripping read. We know who the abductor is early on but it's still riveting reading how the team manage to track him down. There's even room for a nice twist later on. I also enjoyed the way things were left at the end which leads nicely to the next book.

Good story

I found the storyline compelling, and I like how it leads in to the next book in the series with an unresolved plot. There were two things that irritated me: first, a victim is described as being very elderly but is later identified as being 65. Seriously, 65 is not “elderly.” Second, when Danny Flint refuses to read the solicitor’s letter, that just didn’t ring true. Danny is a detective and by nature curious. I just didn’t believe that he wouldn’t read the letter when first proffered, and then forgot to read it later.

Simply Superb!

I'm a great fan of Trevor's Danny Flint series and book 9 was simply brilliant. Interesting story with the murder of a pensioner alongside a very sick individual abducting young women at night. Trevor has a unique writing style that keeps the reader enthralled throughout. Amazing story, very likeable characters and a conclusion leaving the reader wanting more. Easy 5 stars. Thanks Trevor keep 'em coming. BP Sheffield

Imagine all the missing people who could’ve been found with just a LITTLE bit of work. This is frightening reality, I mean it really could happen. The suspense, details and the cops are amazing, well those who do their job. The lab…oh my goodness the things that could happen if it didn’t do the procedures the way they do. Looking forward to the next book to see what happens.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

The inital crime in this story threw me off! I knew there had to be a "number four" somewhere and it didn't appear to be linked to the first crime Danny and team investigate. Then their attention shifted to the crime that the book was really about. I loved the flashbacks because it set up what was going on currently without giving too much away. I found it interesting that there were two major crimes because typically you see detectives only working on the one BIG CASE but they must have other cases that they are involved in. It was good to see Danny try to balance them both. However, that initial crime never got solved. I kept expecting it to tie in with the Number Four case, but it didn't. We had a chapter from the initial crime perpetrator's POV, so I expected more.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Clear your schedule, grab a cozy blanket and curl up in your favorite reading spot and prepare to get sucked into this story. Once you open the book and begin reading, you won't be able to stop. Suspense, mystery, and intrigue keep you glued to the pages and sitting on the edge of your seat.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

best yet!!

I am a massive fan of this author.
I have read all 9 of this detective series but this was by far my absolute favourite!
Just a fantastic story with so many characters but not overwhelming back story’s on them that you get lost with who is who.
Written brilliantly every chapter packed full couldn’t read it fast enough
Can not wait for number 10!

Wow, it was gripping and intense it pulled me into its riveting pages. Chief Inspector Daniel and his men believed they had a serial rapist on their hands, but that was far from the truth. They needed to up the stakes and catch the killer before kills again.

WOW!!! Yet another fantastic read by Trev Negus.

The Danny Flint series is absolutely brilliant and well worth a read. Each book keeps you gripped with all the twists and turns!!!

I can't wait to read the 10th book in the series. Keep them coming Trev!!! x

The latest in the series and it has certainly lived up to ten earlier ones. I loved the two different crimes even though they didn't connect. Hopefully more to come......soon I hope.

Unputdownable!!!!!

Yet another absolute triumph, I just couldn't help but read one more page, one more chapter..... I'm really sad I've finished it 😪

I am number four

These books just get better and better where on earth is book ten I hope it's written. Fantastic fantastic fantastic

Trevor Negus keeps delivering great crime mysteries for DCI Danny Flint to solve. He tends to get there in the end with the help of his great team.

Trevor Negus

The DCI Danny Flint books are ones you can't put down. Keeps you guessing.
Can't wait to start the next one.