Saturday, February 25, 2023

Early Review: A Cry in the Dark by Jessica R. Patch

 

A Cry in the Dark

Deep in the Kentucky hills, three women have been found brutalized and murdered.

But the folks in Night Holler have their own ways and their own laws.

And they’re not talking…

Led to an isolated Appalachian Mountain town by a trail of disturbing murders, FBI special agent Violet Rainwater’s determined to catch a serial killer with a twisted agenda. With locals refusing to reveal their secrets, Violet’s only ally is Detective John Orlando. But even John has an ulterior motive—he’s convinced this case is connected to his wife’s murder. 

As they dig deeper, Violet uncovers a link to her own unresolved past. For years she’s worked the cold case of her mother’s abduction, which had led to her birth. The need to look into the eyes of the sinful man who fathered her consumes Violet. Until she can, she’ll never have peace. Because she’s terrified she might be exactly like him.

In this chilling novel, when the present collides with Violet’s mysterious past and John’s tragic loss, they must unravel the warped, sinuous connections before the killer strikes again. But solving the case might not be nearly as terrifying as the possibility that Violet’s finally found her roots…

A new psychological thriller coming February 28, 2023! Preorder now!

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What I thought about A Cry In the Dark

Wow!  A Cry in the Dark is a follow-up to Her Darkest Secret by Jessica Patch.  It works well as a standalone.  This is Violet Rainwater's story, wrapped around a very tight, tension filled page turner of a serial killer investigation.


FBI Agent Violet Rainwater and the Strange Crimes Unit head to Kentucky to investigate the murder of three young women.  It's a close knit area,no one is talking and the place is downright creepy. There's some great atmosphere here in these early pages that made me want to keep reading while I was totally creeped out.  That was terrific.

I really was intrigued with Violet in Her Darkest Secret and I still think she's a terrific character. She doesn't mess around and I adored her forthright and often courageous manner. But what is most important is her own personal story, which is revealed in detail as there are connections here in the "holler" for her.  There's so much emotion here.  There's a bit of a friendship to something-more happening here for Violet as well, in the form of John Orlando who is recovering from his own past pain. 

There's just so much to this story.  It's rich with emotion and it's a terrific crime thriller with a very exciting and action packed conclusion. Everyone is a suspect and anyone who is talking is probably telling lies. I don't want to reveal too much because part of what I loved about this was how the story was revealed. This was a page-turner from start to end. I could not put this down.

So overall, I recommend A Cry in the Dark and it's companion Her Darkest Secret.  One of the best suspense / thrillers I've read in 2023.   

 


About the Author


Publishers Weekly Bestselling Author, Jessica R. Patch is known for her dry wit and signature twists whether she’s penned a romantic suspense, a cold case thriller, or a small-town romance. When she’s not getting into fictional mischief with her characters, you can find her cozy on the couch in her mid-south home reading books by some of her favorite authors, watching movies with her family, and collecting recipes to amazing dishes she’ll probably never cook. Sign up for her newsletter “Patched In” at www.jessicarpatch.com. Jessica is represented by Rachel Kent of Books & Such Literary Management. 

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