Author: Robert Bryndza
Publication: 07 December 2021 -- Thomas & Mercer
Format: Kindle eARC via NetGalley
Kate Marshall’s fledgling PI agency takes off when she and her partner, Tristan Harper, are hired for their first big case. It’s a cold one. Twelve years before, journalist Joanna Duncan disappeared after exposing a political scandal. Most people have moved on. Joanna’s mother refuses to let go.
When Kate and Tristan gain access to the original case files, they revisit the same suspects and follow the same leads—but not to the same dead ends. Among Joanna’s personal effects, Kate discovers the names of two young men who also vanished without a trace.
As she connects the last days of three missing persons, Kate realizes that Joanna may have been onto something far more sinister than anyone first believed: the identity of a serial killer hiding in plain sight. The closer Kate comes to finding him, the darker it’s going to get.
Ramble-y Teaserish Stuff
In September 2002 Joanna Duncan vanished while leaving her job as a journalist for a local newspaper. Almost thirteen years later Joanna's mother reaches out to Kate Marshall in hopes that she (and partner/former assistant Tristan Harper) will be able to find out what happened to her daughter all those years ago. The police had closed the case long ago but had granted access to the files for three months for an independent investigation. Kate and Tristan get hired for six months which will help them in getting the private detective agency on its feet, as well as a much needed financial boost for each. Kate has inherited her friend/landlord/AA sponsor Myra's businesses and home. Tristan is still working part time at the university and has taken in a lodger to help cover his mortgage.
Kate and Tristan start diving in to the old files and re-questioning anyone who may remember anything that happened on the day that Joanna disappeared. She had recently covered a story about a now-former Member of Parliament who lost his seat because of her investigation into him committing fraud. He also was rumored to use "rent boys" (young male prostitutes) and it was more than possible that Joanna had been investigating this angle also ... especially when Kate discovers a note with the name of two men amongst Joanna's belongings -- both of them young gay and attractive and both of them missing.
Is there a connection between these disappearances?
Are they all connected to the ones that are still happening?
Yet again, Robert Bryndza is amazing with his storytelling. I sometimes find myself feeling like it's okay to skip a paragraph here, a chapter there. That never happens with Bryndza. If anything, I'll purposely backtrack and re-read to see if I missed a clue. I often have ... and I still end up being wrong as to what twists lie ahead. It's nice to not have it all figured out and I definitely didn't with Darkness Falls.
And just one more thing: I absolutely big puffy heart love Abe(and I don't just "big puffy heart" easily)! We need to see him again and again, please!
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2 comments:
Good intro and teaser. Chilling.
I like these teasers. This sounds like something I would like to read.
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