Title: CRY BABY – Callum Doyle #4
Author: David Jackson
ISBN: 9781785761041
Publisher: Zaffre
Pages: 298
Source: Private copy
It’s every mother’s nightmare – the abduction of her baby.
That’s how it starts for Erin Vogel when she is attacked and left unconscious in her apartment. When she awakes, it is to find that Georgia, her six-month-old daughter, has been taken.
But Erin is given a chance to get Georgia back. At an unthinkable price.
Like most mothers, she has always said she would do anything for her child. Now the strength of that bond is about to be put to the ultimate test.
And when her actions arouse the interest of a certain Detective Callum Doyle, one thing is inevitable: a confrontation that will be as explosive as it is unforgettable.
Official Summary
14 October 2025
I have been reading David Jackson’s backlist, and from the very first page, Cry Baby had me completely hooked. David Jackson wastes no time pulling you into every parent’s worst nightmare — the abduction of a baby. What follows is an emotional, nerve-shredding, and utterly addictive thriller that never lets up.
Erin Vogel’s world collapses when she wakes to find her six-month-old daughter, Georgia, missing. Her desperation is intense, and Jackson does an incredible job capturing the raw fear and panic of a mother who will stop at nothing to get her child back. The story takes some dark, unexpected turns, and just when you think you know where it’s heading, Jackson throws in another twist that changes everything.
What I loved most was how the author explored moral boundaries — how far a mother might go when faced with the unthinkable. The pacing was spot-on, the writing crisp, and the tension relentless. Detective Callum Doyle’s involvement added another layer of depth and intensity, leading to an ending that was as explosive as it was satisfying.
Cry Baby is not just a gripping thriller; it’s an emotional rollercoaster that tests the limits of love, loyalty, and sacrifice. I couldn’t put it down and found myself thinking about it long after turning the final page.
Five stars — a powerful, heart-pounding read that delivers on every level.
Also By David Jackson
MARKED
In New York’s East Village, a young girl is brutally raped, tortured and murdered. Detective Callum Doyle has seen the victim’s remains. He has visited the distraught family. Now he wants justice.
Doyle is convinced he knows who the killer is. The problem is he can’t prove it. And the more he pushes his prime suspect, the more he learns that the man is capable of pushing back in ways more devious and twisted than Doyle could ever have imagined.
Add to that the appearance of an old adversary who has a mission for Doyle and won’t take no for an answer, and soon Doyle finds himself at risk of losing everything he holds dear. Including his life.
About the Author
Author bio from the author’s site
I was a latecomer to fiction writing, having spent most of my adult life producing academic papers and reports. After some limited success entering short story competitions, I submitted the first few chapters of a novel to the Crime Writers Association Debut Dagger Awards. To my great surprise, the book was not only short-listed but given the Highly Commended accolade, which stimulated the interest of agents and publishers and eventually led to the publication of PARIAH. Since then, I have written several more crime thrillers, including two series set in New York and my birth city of Liverpool. I still have a day job in Liverpool as a university academic, but now live on the Wirral with my wife, two daughters and a British Shorthair cat called Mr Tumnus.
I was not an immediate fan of this series; however, Callum Doyle gained popularity with every book. Now that I have read them all, I hope David Jackson will write another Doyle book. As always, thank you for visiting and reading my review. Your support is much appreciated. Until next time…. Happy Reading!
Pingback: Love Kills Book Review – Featz Reviews