The moment detective Reed Novak steps onto the crime scene, he knows the case is going to rock his world. A beautiful young woman murdered at home. No sign of forced entry. No motive. She’s obviously not the killer’s first victim, and Reed’s instincts tell him she won’t be his last. Reed’s first clue comes via a mysterious text that links to a dating profile, but even more intriguing than the clue is the person who sent it.
As a white-hat hacker in the Delphi Center’s cyber investigation unit, Laney Knox sneaks into some of the deepest, darkest corners of the Internet looking for predators. Laney would prefer to stay away from Austin PD’s most recent murder case, but she can’t ignore the chilling similarities between that crime and her own brutal attack years ago. Laney offers to help the sexy lead detective, but he wants more from her than just a promising tip—Reed wants her trust. Laney resists, but as their relationship deepens she’s tempted to reveal the closely guarded secrets that could make her a key witness…or the killer’s next victim. – Goodreads Synopsis
Review of Deep Dark
Deep Dark is an engaging mystery/thriller with a female character you are almost instantly strongly sympathetic with, and a typical good-guy detective. Laney Knox is the epitome of the strong and vulnerable woman. She’s been through an attack that has changed her life, and it’s changed her in lots of ways. A White Hat hacker is the perfect job for her, and she latches on to trying to help with a fervor that means disregarding even blatant orders to stay away from the case. Reed is, again, sort of your typical male detective in a book with a strong romance theme. There’s nothing outstanding or notable about him, but he provides a nice background for Laney to shine against.
Though this is apparently the tenth book in the Tracers series, it’s a strong standalone. It’s also a very quick read. At just over 350 pages, you’d think this would be a bit of a book to tackle, but instead it’s so easily written that you can get through it in a matter of hours. There’s a smattering of technical details here and there, but the author glances over most things, giving the reader just enough information so that they know what is going on. The romance element is definitely there, but it’s also low-key, which I appreciated. The relationship isn’t perfect, but you can tell it’s going to work out (at least temporarily) in the long run, and it’s enough to leave you feeling slightly gooshy as you close the book.
Overall, while not a book that will get your blood pounding, Deep Dark is an interesting whodunnit with a twist that you probably won’t expect, and a strong dash of un-sickeningly sweet romance. It’s a good airplane read.
Title: Deep Dark | Author: Laura Griffin (site) | Publisher: Pocket Books (site) | Pub. Date: 2016-5-24 | Pages: 368 | ISBN13: 9781476779263 | Genre(s): Thriller & Romance | Language: English | Triggers: Mentioned sexual assault | Rating: 4 out of 5 | Date Read: 2016-5-9 | Source: Received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
