No Comment

Probably the most important book on the state of British policing you’ll ever read. Written with candour and balance, Jess McDonald lifts the lid on why cultural change is nigh on impossible in the Metropolitan Police and how the justice system conspires against the most vulnerable. A brilliant read which should be compulsory for all Chief Officers if they are serious about understanding what life is really like at the coal face – Graham BartlettVivid and harrowing… Hammers home how urgently the whole criminal justice system is in need of reform’ * Mail on Sunday *I was gripped by this unflinching close-up account of life as a new Met detective. As a female outsider, McDonald offers a rare insight into the current state of the UK’s biggest and most controversial police force - a world usually painfully resistant to scrutiny. No Comment is essential reading for anyone interested in the questions being asked of the Met today, and its passionate call for change could hardly be more timely – Katherine FaulknerIt’s an excellent insight into modern policing and how the system fails to protect victims, communities and the people who work in the job. Jess writes about complex, dark subjects with humanity and warmth. It’s a must-read for anyone who has ever wondered what happens after they’ve called 999 and a shocking indictment of a system not fit for purpose – Angela Kirwin, author of Criminal: How Our Prisons Are Failing Us All

Jess McDonald grew up in Cheshire, attended Durham University and had a huge range of jobs before she turned 30. Then the big one. At the age of 31, Jess was one of the very first people to gain a place on the Met Police’s controversial Direct Entry Detective scheme and, after just 5 months of training, started work as a Detective Constable tackling serious crime in a busy east London borough.