Into the Dark: Shortlisted for the 2023 Crime Novel of the Year

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Here there be monsters’ in the uncharted waters of the upmarket Essex seaside town of Midtown-on-Sea. In fact, these waters are shark infested with deep and dangerous under-currents. It’s a Tuesday morning when the Holden family disappear. Friend Julianne calls for Piper for their weekly jog, Piper‘s husband Gray’s car is unusually still on the drive, breakfast is on the table, washing circulating in the machine, phones are charging but none of the family are there. There is one definite sign that something is distinctly amiss, a fine mist of blood coating an antique chandelier. Coincidentally, DC Saul Anguish arrives in Midtown to join the major crimes unit led by DI Angus O’Neill but that’s quite another story. What develops and unfolds is told in non-linear timeline and from several perspectives and which flows extremely well.

The book contains an appearance of the 1957 children's novel David and the Phoenix by Edward Ormondroyd, a book of which Weber is a fan. Of course the Dani/Diesel romance is only half of the story, and we have murder galore in this instalment. Police are called. This is the first case for new member of Midtown-on-sea’s Major Crimes Unit, DC Saul Anguish. There is a dark side to Anguish which we learn more about as the book progresses. A message on Riva’s dressing table mirror, written in blood, gets everyone’s attention - “MAKE THEM STOP!” The team has a forensic linguist on call, blue haired Dr Clover March. Saul is unaccountably drawn to ‘Blue’ as he refers to her and there is certainly a strange, edgy chemistry between them. Blue has some interesting insights into the case as there will be more handwriting to be analysed. THE AUTHOR: Fiona Cummins is an award-winning former Daily Mirror showbusiness journalist and a graduate of the Faber Academy Writing A Novel course. She lives in Essex with her family. Michael Rowland is not your typical teenager. Deaf from birth, he’s always looked out for his five-year-old brother, Joshua. When his stepfather comes after Joshua, Michael takes the child and runs. He’s determined to protect his brother at all costs, even if that means making himself vulnerable to a danger he can’t hear coming. And the danger intensifies when Michael witnesses a stranger kill his stepfather.

That being said, I absolutely loved the setting of this one and some of the twists were definitely able to blow me away. I struggled to follow the jumping timeline occasionally and didn’t connect with any of the characters. I couldn’t see anything special in DS Anguish, if anything he gives me really bad vibes. However, if another book was published with his character I would definitely read it to see if I could gather more insight. It feels like this story isn’t over and it definitely left me wanting more! I think the authors previous book just left such a high bar for me that it would never have been met! Beginning with DS Anguish - I was suspicious from the get go - familiar - I’ll let you figure that out - breadcrumbs are there for readers of The Collector however if you have not read Fiona Cummins Bone Collector series that is not going to diminish your experience with this book. Dive in head first and don’t come up for air.

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. The Holden family, Gray, Piper and their two teenagers have vanished from their luxurious Art Deco coastal home. Their mobile phones are still charging, school bags are by the door ready to go, kettle is still warm and cars are still in the garage. A bloodied mirror with the worlds ‘Make Them Stop’ is in the daughter’s bedroom. Wow, this is yet another excellent psychological thriller from this talented author, this one is deviously and deliciously dark from beginning to end and you savour every unpredictable twist and turn. You think you’ve figured the ever deepening mystery out, you haven’t! This is a Thirdly, and most importantly,this book is a stone cold classic of the genre. It has it all. Flawed characters, intense story telling, compelling plots told through interspersed narratives so that the reader gets a rounded tale, suspense, cliffhanger chapters, sex scenes -and oh my god I had forgotten how good this lady writes a sex scene, I mean DAMN!!!!!!

Success!

The 2010s: Alien scientists from an alliance of races known as the Galactic Hegemony review footage of the Battle of Agincourt, taken by a survey ship during the Hundred Years' War. They liken humans to the carnivorous, vulpine Shongairi, a species recently admitted to the Hegemony. Ultimately, a Shongairi fleet is sent to establish control of Earth in the name of the Hegemony. Upon arrival in the Solar System, the Shongairi are amazed to discover that in six centuries since the Agincourt survey, the technology base of Earth has advanced considerably, to the Hegemony's classification of "Level II." There are other strands that run alongside these two main stories - such as Grant Masterson and his missing siblings. It all ties up nicely in the end though. 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. The book begins with a highly emotional scene where Michael Rowland, a deaf child, is rescuing his 5-year-old brother, Joshua from being abused by his step-father – running away as fast as he could, while also witnessing a murder – which puts Michael’s life on the line. Michael’s coach, Diesel Kennedy, brings the injured Michael to Dr. Dani Novak, who will treat Michael. She is also deaf in one ear, and is able communicate with Michael using sign language. Into the Dark starts off quite innocuously. It's like, 'there's nothing to see here folks that you haven't already seen in a hundred other domestic dramas/psychological thrillers' until it's not. The shift is infinitesimal. There's a change in the feel to the writing, it's subtly darker. Then the worms start crawling out of the woodwork, and all hell breaks loose.

This is a standalone book but does have special mention of a character in her previous book. Detective Saul. Piper, her husband Gray, and their two teenage children – Riva and Artie – are nowhere to be found. The house is empty. There were a lot of heartbreaking moments here since Michael was the victim of abuse. Diesel has his own story to tell, and he helped Michael deal with the feelings of guilt, shame and anger.I'm caught up now in Karen Rose's "Cincinnati Series." Whew -- after two in a row of her over-sized books, I'm frazzled by the intensity of the last two books. And once again, totally satisfied and excited for what comes next. But first, I have two more catch-ups in another of Rose's series. EXCERPT: Fear, a slippery coil of it, tightened in Julianne's stomach. She forced herself to look upwards.

The timeline in this book hops from before the disappearance in each chapter to after the disappearance. As always, there's a generous catch-up with previous characters who make up the "team" of family, friends and work connections. Karen Rose builds the tension, horror and crime solving with unwavering strength and detail. She's not to be outdone in this area of writing skills. Into the Dark is the fifth of the Cincinnati series and #23 of the author's overall romantic suspense series. While this offers a standalone suspense plot, the book doesn't standalone well with the ongoing character and romance plot as its other main focus. The Neighbour (my first read by Fiona Cummins) was one of my top reads two years ago, so it thrills me to pieces that Into the Dark lived up to that one. I will definitely be bumping When I Was Ten and The Collector series up my tbr.

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Published in Australia this week.it is out now. Thanks to MacMillan Australia for my advanced copy of this book to read.⁣ Into the Dark is the fifth instalment in the Cincinnati series and is the most gripping and absorbing so far. There is no problem with jumping into the series in this book although you will probably not want to miss the preceding book as this is romantic suspense at its best. The plot follows two brothers, Michael and Joseph, who happen to be there to witness a man being bundled into the boot of a car never to be seen again; they then find themselves in grave danger by the very same person as they have seen the face of a dangerous vigilante who does not intend to be disturbed from his disturbing "duty". Away from the primary plotline, the developing will they-won't they relationship between Diesel Kennedy and our feisty heroine Dr Dani Novak continues. Following a criminal carrying out his own system of vigilante justice, we see just how warped different people viewing the exact same event can become.