Overview

Jack-in-the-Box drops us into Glasgow’s affluent suburbs as a killer starts breaking into secure homes and smothering people who are left on their own. The houses are locked. The alarms are set. The cameras are running. Yet there is no sign of forced entry and no clear trace of anyone getting in or out. The tabloids name the murderer Jack-in-the-Box, for the way bodies are folded into tiny spaces and for how the killer seems to appear from nowhere. Inspector Lomond is handed the case and has to work out the one question that matters before the next death, how is the killer entering these homes at all.

Writing & Voice

We found the writing blunt and fast. The scenes keep moving, and the tension comes from practical detail rather than theatre. We stay close to the procedures, the footage, the security measures, and the mistakes people do not want to admit. The voice suits the setting, because it does not romanticise Glasgow or soften what fear does to a neighbourhood.

Content & Perspective

We follow Lomond as he tries to read a crime that looks impossible on paper. We also feel the pressure of public attention as the tabloids turn the deaths into a story people can consume. The book keeps the focus on the gap between what security promises and what violence can still do. It asks us to sit with the worst thought, that the safest house can still be opened like a box.

Themes

This is a thriller about safety, privacy, and the myths we sell ourselves about control. We watch fear spread through well lit streets where people thought money and locks were enough. We also see how surveillance can still miss what matters, and how easy it is for a community to turn suspicious when nobody can explain how the killer is doing it.

What Worked

• A locked house puzzle that keeps the dread tight and constant.
• A sharp Glasgow backdrop in suburbs built to feel protected.
• A strong investigative drive as Lomond pushes for a method that fits the facts.

Minor Quibbles

• We sometimes wanted a little more time with a few victims before the story moved on.
• The pace stays high, and we felt some quieter beats pass quickly.

Final Thoughts

We like crime fiction most when it strips comfort away, and this one starts by taking the front door from us.

Rating: ★★★★½ / 5