Into the Dark

Product Information

Just to forewarn you, upon completion I discovered that one of the main characters – DC Saul Anguish – featured in both Rattle and The Collector (both of which I have yet to read) and this book does contain spoilers relating to his childhood and adolescence. A bit of a shame, but if anything, it has made me even more determined to get my hands on that series. Out of the Dark is an alien invasion science fiction novel by David Weber released by Tor Books on September 28, 2010. [1] It is an extended version of the short story of the same name published in the 2010 anthology Warriors edited by Gardner Dozois and George R. R. Martin. A sequel, titled Into the Light, was published more than a decade later in January 2021. The third book in the series, To Challenge Heaven is expected to be released in January of 2024.

I didn't like the families, and it became apparent pretty early what had happened with the main mystery. The answer to it soured my whole experience of this story. I wasn't keen on the way it all developed because it felt shallow and convenient rather than revealing any kind of deeper themes. Also, it was very action-oriented, with things travelling along without much thought. Normally I love a fast-paced novel, but this just had too much going on to keep it this fast without losing some emotional connection. One late autumn morning, Piper's best friend arrives at Seawings to discover an eerie scene: the kettle is still warm, all the family's phones are still charging on the worktop, the cars are in the garage. But the house is deserted. Now from the outside looking in it feels creepy. A new DS to the area, Saul Anguish is put on the case and soon finds that things do not add up. All of these characters are hiding something, there are so many secrets and lies your head will be spinning.⁣Karen Rose is a proficient writer whose play of words soon caught my interest. This book was part of a series, and I knew nobody, hence I concentrated solely on the murders. Dani and Diesel were highly complexed characters. It was nice to see Diesel accept Dani even with her medical situation. I enjoyed their conversations as baggage of the past was soon unloaded. WHEN I WAS TEN is one of my all-time favourite thrillers, so I couldn’t wait to get my hands on Cummins’ latest book, INTO THE DARK. Cummins is a master at portraying deeply flawed, toxic and amoral characters, so I wasn’t surprised that each and every member of this cast had something to hide. With twists and turns in just about every chapter, I was never quite sure where the story was headed, and each revelation scattered all my carefully thought-out theories into the wind. I do love an unreliable character, and Cummins takes the theme to the next level! What in the name of all toxic relationship/dysfunctional family craziness did I just read??! Fiona Cummins, what a dark, devious mind you must have to come up with this plot (and that is a compliment!). 😂 AND THEN there is the small matter of 7 dismembered bodies being dragged out of the local river, some with signs of being tortured prior to them being killed. Who was responsible and why? The premise was structured alternatingly in between past and current, from the pre-days before the Holden went missing to the aftermath that was told in multiple perspectives— Piper Holden (wife of the missing family), Julianne Hillier (a best friend and a neighbour to Piper), DC Anguish (the investigation officer) and few other secondary POVs, it was somehow easy to deduce who is the suspect(s) but I was totally engrossed on the crime process and its exploration; the motive(s), who else knows about it, what secret more to reveal and moreover, the DC was such an interesting character to me— his past and obsession were intimidating yet I love his investigative perspective. I wish his interaction with Blue (I love her character, she’s a doctor with narcolepsy condition) towards the case can be more thorough, it was too minimal and not as evocative as I hoped.

Both books feature an interstellar polity of alien races, who ultimately resolve to exterminate the human race, before a previously unknown power saves the day. The timeline revolves around the disappearance – days before; hours before; and weeks before; with each jump Cummins is able to give us a different glimpse into their lives, their interactions, actions and…..secrets.When it comes to romantic suspense this author is definitely in my top five so I always know that I'm going to get a well written story with a twisting plot that keeps me holding my breath. This particular book not only has a vigilante killer who is almost like the Angel of death but also the romance that regular readers have been waiting for because it's Dani and Diesel ! We've been waiting a while for Dani and Diesel's story, and we finally have it, in Into the Dark - the 23rd in Karen Rose's romantic suspense series. Having read, and enjoyed, previous mysteries by Fiona Cummins, I was excited to read her latest and thought it had one of the best starts of any crime novel I have read. Midtown-on-Sea is a wealthy, coastal town, seen as a paradise for those families can afford to buy there, with excellent private schools, an easy commute into London and breath-taking views.

There’s a bit happening in this novel, but not to the detriment of the plot. The book opens with Julianne arriving at Piper’s for their regular run… only to find no one home and signs of the family having departed – perhaps against their will – suddenly. There was a lot going on in this book and it all came together really well. Dani and Diesel had so much to work out, we had a mystery trying to be unraveled, the killer's thoughts thrown in giving clues that will keep you guessing. And it all worked so well together and added to the intrigue that had me loving this book. Not all that odd except that - the coffee is still hot, the toast is on the counter, the families phones are charging on the counter, school bags are ready to go and there is not a soul in sight. The Holden family have seemingly disappeared without a trace…One morning, Julianne Hillier arrives at her best friend's house to go for their regular run together, but finds no one home. The family's phones are there, charging, the kettle is still warm, and their passports haven't been taken. Upstairs in the daughter's bedroom, a message is scrawled in blood: "make them stop". The way that other characters throughout Karen's Cincinatti universe, are woven through the story with potted histories,makes you want to dive into her other novels. She is absolutely superb at what she does , there is a reason that she is a multi-million selling author, and this book, for me, is peak Rose.

I would recommend this to any KR fans, but also anyone who wants a fast paced thriller to get lost in. The story is about a family that disappears and there is evidence of foul play at their house. Have they been kidnapped or murdered. Dani and Diesel - I've been waiting for this one for a long time and Karen Rose did not disappoint. No one and I mean no one can craft a thriller like Karen Rose. Layers upon layers and lots of bodies make a maze of a tale and at the heart are two innocent children who Diesel and Danni have to protect. We get a round up of all the Cincinnati Series characters and It was great to see them in action along with Dani and Diesel. I suspect that this may be the last Cincinnati Series book and it was fantastic. Detective Constable Saul Anguish is on the case, incidentally he has a dark past and is an intriguing character.The biggest problem I have with this book is that every chapter is referring to a different time perspectives of different incidents, and it gets worse when they start introducing different characters. It’s so confusing to follow and understand. I just didn’t get the plot since it was too confusing to follow, which is an immediate turn off. I felt like the character development of DC Saul Anguish was poor. Nothing behind the character but surface level description, with a very dark side, unexplainable patterns of behavior which made me consider what the book even meant. I am not sure if there is a previous book to this which may actually explain abit about the character. I think the blurb doesn’t really match the story line, I think it was obvious, I wasn’t blown away and certainly not impressed. I’m just confused about it. Out of the Dark contains multiple references and adapted concepts from Weber's literature, particularly the 2002 book The Excalibur Alternative. Whereas When I Was Ten feels carefully planned out from the beginning, Into The Dark feels less tightly plotted, with occasional threads left loose and hanging. The b-plot of the new detective Saul Anguish and the forensic linguist "Blue" he connects with feels largely unrelated to the central mystery, and I was disappointed that there was no real connection by the end other than him working on the case. Appearances can be deceiving. And Fiona Cummins’ latest book, Into the Dark does it so well. Missing persons, cryptic messages, and a heaping helping of deception make up this delightfully twisted domestic noir from Fiona Cummins. So, what exactly is this literary subgenre called, Domestic Noir? In a nutshell, Domestic Noir takes place primarily in homes and workplaces, concerns itself largely (but not exclusively) with the female experience, is based around relationships and takes as its base a broadly feminist view that the domestic sphere is a challenging and sometimes dangerous prospect for its inhabitants. This story held some heartbreaking triggers. When children are involved, crime always seems doubly horrifying. And Michael and his little brother were such marvels. One deaf and the other dependent on his older brother. Their circumstances shredded my heart and their journey to safety enthralling for every single minute.