REVIEW: Broadchurch: Old Friends: A Series Two Original Short Story



The latest Broadchurch story from Erin Kelly focuses on Jacqueline Knight, the chief prosecution in the trial against Joe Miller. The tale is set back in 2002 when Jocelyn was working in London and provides delightful insights in to her relationships with her mother, in the days before the old lady needed to reside in a care home, as well as several other key characters in the Broadchurch story. 

It emerges that as well as being an old friend of Maggie Radcliffe, Jacqueline represented Jack Marshall in his underage sex trial, persuading him to plead guilty when she realised how in love he and his partner were. She promised him that the sooner he pleaded guilty the sooner they'd be back together and he did so and ended up spending just over a year in prison. He and Rowena, who had been just 5 weeks off her 16th birthday when the pair had slept together, married as soon as he was released, and Jocelyn and her then pupil Sharon Bishop were the only witnesses.  Jocelyn, Jack and Rowena became friends and eventually she became godmother to their son, Simon. 

After a tragic car accident killed Simon, and Rowena and Jack split as a consequence of their grief, it was Jocelyn who helped him to rebuild the pieces of his shattered life. It emerges that it was Jocelyn's intervention that made Jack move to Broadchurch, he was only there because of her recommendation. The descriptions of Jocelyn visiting Jack in his newly acquired newsagents are extremely poignant not least when it describes a young Oliver Stevens from Sea Cadets causing trouble outside in the harbour - a child that would grow up to have a direct influence on Jack's eventual suicide.
Another extremely moving aspect of the story involves a young Latimer family visiting the shop with a three day old Danny. His father Mark so full hope for his son, explaining how he'll go on to be a footballer and a smitten four year old Chloe promising to be a great big sister and to always look after her baby brother. His mum Beth is proud to show him off to Jack and Jacqueline and tells them she's taking him to the beach - the place where he would be found dead just 11 years later. 

Once again Erin Kelly provides a wonderful thought provoking insight in to the characters of the series, she captures their essence perfectly. This look back in to Jacqueline's past shows how her history may effect the current events occurring in the seaside town.

You can purchase Broadchurch: Old Friends here 

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