Although there are references to previous books, Gone to Darkness worked just fine as a standalone.
An Iraq war veteran, Sydney Parnell and Clyde, a Belgian Malinois, worked with the railroad police in the earlier books, but have just joined the Denver Homicide Squad. She has a new partner in Detective Len Bandoni, a weathered veteran of the force.
When Sydney gets a call-out from a colleague in her former unit with the railroad police, she has a personal reason to reply to her friend. When she arrives on the scene and finally locates him, Heinrich is unconscious from a blow to the head. When he comes around, he remembers little about what happened.
Sydney and Clyde do a preliminary search of the area to see if Sydney can determine more about what happened. She discovers what appears to be a small makeshift shrine and a bit of bloody chiffon.
With the second sense of a war veteran, Sydney is certain there is a body involved--but where?
Sydney, Clyde, and Bandoni find themselves in an investigation that gets deadlier and more threatening. Well-written and suspenseful, the plot involves Incels (Involuntary Celibates) and the Manosphere.
The only thing I didn't like was the prologue. Too many books begin with a prologue now and sometimes they work. For me personally, this is the kind that doesn't work because it gives too much away. Aside from my dislike of the prologue, the characters, police procedural, and narrative kept me riveted . I will most definitely be looking for the previous books in the series.
Read in April. Blog review scheduled for May 10.
NetGalley/Thomas & Mercer
Crime/Police Procedural. June 2, 2020. Print length: 364 pages.
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I found and read all the previous books and reviewed them before this post was scheduled to post. I can't wait for the next books in the series.
I'm not a huge fan of prologues. Sometimes, like you said, they do work. But most of the time I feel like they're unnecessary. Glad you're still enjoying this series. It's one I hope to read soon. :)
ReplyDeleteThe use of prologues have become a little too frequent for me. Kind of like the way book covers follow a trend. :)
DeleteNew one for me. Thanks for the update.
ReplyDeleteI've enjoyed this series, and after reading this one, I picked up the previous books. They are violent, however.
DeleteHmm... I don't mind prologues and as you said, sometimes they work and somet6they don't. I'd definitely mind if there are too much info given which may lead to some spoilers. Anyway, this sounds like an intriguing series.
ReplyDeleteI love books with working dogs. Start with the first one if you decide to pick up the series. :)
DeleteThis does sound like a really good series. It's so funny I just started a book with a prologue that was totally depressing and frankly has put me off reading the book.
ReplyDeleteSometimes I feel the same way about prologues--they make me reluctant to continue.
DeleteLooking forward to reading this book!
ReplyDeleteStart with the first one, Cathy! Blood on the Tracks is free on Kindle Unlimited. :)
DeleteI've read the first two. :-)
DeleteI seriously need to get into this series -- I don't think you've disliked any, have you?
ReplyDeleteI've liked them all!
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