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4.07 AVERAGE
4.07 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
dark
emotional
informative
sad
The Darkest Place is the fourth installment of the Detective Tom Reynolds series. When a mass grave is discovered, Inspector Reynolds is called in to solve the case. Is it a cold case, dating back years or is there fresher work at hand? I loved this novel, I was drawn in from the beginning and it's well written. 4 stars
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
3.5 rounded up
One sentence review: Another strong book bar the hair on skulls (#triggered) and fatphobic comments
SYNOPSIS
DI Tom Reynolds is assigned a 40-year-old cold case after the missing person is found in a mass grave at a former psychiatric hospital.
MY OPINION
I am a sucker for an old psych ward. I visited the psych ward where The One That Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest was filmed and it was eerie but fascinating. Also part of it is still running? My religious Filipina mother was NOT vibing I'll tell you that LOL.
Anyways, although I love a psych ward, I'm not a fan of cold cases. I know yeetage of disbelief is required, but how the cases are often solved is waaaay too contrived for me. Especially when it comes down to key witnesses remembering NEW things. I know not everyone has a swiss cheese brain, but there ain't one moment in my life that I can look back on and remember MORE clearly than I could five years ago. Absolutely not. BUT I found this was well done for the most part. There were no forgotten memories unearthed, but rather new crimes bringing old crimes to live. And some good ole fashion forensic science.
I'm kicking myself for not seeing the twisty twist earlier. When will I learn I'm not a huge fan of the ending. I'll just leave it at that. I really didn't like the tufts of hair attached to skulls... CMON NOW!!! And the author's fatphobic comments continue. I haven't read one book in this series that isn't blatantly and unnecessarily fatphobic. Funny how when a fat character eats a strip of bacon they're at risk of keeling over from a heart attack right there and then, but when Dr. Linda deep throats enough croissants to feed a French army, her appetite is to be celebrated.
All in all, I shall continue with this series. I love the cases and the dry humor is quite LOL. The prose is solid as well. If only she could get rid of the fatphobia and not go so off da rails at the end. She doesn't quite Sharon Bolton it thankfully, but still. It's hard to find a novel with a solid ending.
PROS AND CONS
Pros: great writing, love the wit, character dynamics are great, case was juicy
Cons: fatphobic comment, contrived af ending... major eye roll!!!
One sentence review: Another strong book bar the hair on skulls (#triggered) and fatphobic comments
SYNOPSIS
DI Tom Reynolds is assigned a 40-year-old cold case after the missing person is found in a mass grave at a former psychiatric hospital.
MY OPINION
I am a sucker for an old psych ward. I visited the psych ward where The One That Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest was filmed and it was eerie but fascinating. Also part of it is still running? My religious Filipina mother was NOT vibing I'll tell you that LOL.
Anyways, although I love a psych ward, I'm not a fan of cold cases. I know yeetage of disbelief is required, but how the cases are often solved is waaaay too contrived for me. Especially when it comes down to key witnesses remembering NEW things. I know not everyone has a swiss cheese brain, but there ain't one moment in my life that I can look back on and remember MORE clearly than I could five years ago. Absolutely not. BUT I found this was well done for the most part. There were no forgotten memories unearthed, but rather new crimes bringing old crimes to live. And some good ole fashion forensic science.
I'm kicking myself for not seeing the twisty twist earlier. When will I learn
Spoiler
to never trust a diary ???All in all, I shall continue with this series. I love the cases and the dry humor is quite LOL. The prose is solid as well. If only she could get rid of the fatphobia and not go so off da rails at the end. She doesn't quite Sharon Bolton it thankfully, but still. It's hard to find a novel with a solid ending.
PROS AND CONS
Pros: great writing, love the wit, character dynamics are great, case was juicy
Cons: fatphobic comment, contrived af ending... major eye roll!!!
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Oh, how I have been looking forward to another Tom Reynolds investigation and this latest from Jo Spain most definitely did not disappoint!
In this book we join DI Tom Reynolds and his loyal team of Ray, Laura and Linda as they are called to an old asylum on a remote island off the west coast of Ireland. It is being redeveloped and a mass grave has been disturbed. Most bodies are of ex-patients but one is thought to be that of a doctor who went missing Christmas Eve 40 years ago.
As well as following the team throughout their investigation, we also get to read the diary which Conrad's wife had. In it, concerns are raised about the treatment of patients in the asylum, callous treatment of vulnerable people with mental health issues, and some of whom who probably shouldn't even have been in an asylum. Had this diary given someone a motive for murder? And was it a patient or a staff member?
There was a real 'closed room' kind of atmosphere while the team were on island. There was no WiFi, a patchy mobile signal and important documents had to be sent back to the team on the mainland using a fax machine. The author created a really spooky atmosphere in the old building which was compounded by dark and dreary weather. Sometimes those on the island were effectively trapped as the boat to and from the mainland only sailed if the sea was calm enough. This all added up to give a really claustrophobic feel to the novel.
There were so many people it seemed with things to hide both past and present and many had possible motives to kill Conrad. But Tom and his team could never have guessed what darkness the building was hiding - and neither did I. The book shone a light on the way way people with mental health issues were so badly treated in the not so distant past. There were people kept in the asylum who may never have even been considered in need of help these days. One of the doctors does comment that people were doing what they thought the patients needed at the time but some of the so-called treatment was just cruel and inhumane.
The author so cleverly mis-directed me throughout the book that I had to go back and read some parts again and then it was all so clear! Jo Spain has written another fast-paced read which I thoroughly enjoyed and - no pressure - but I'm already looking forward to the next Reynolds novel! I am also looking forward to seeing her at an event at the Bloody Scotland crime festival in a few weeks where I hope to have a little chat about just when that next novel might be ready...
In this book we join DI Tom Reynolds and his loyal team of Ray, Laura and Linda as they are called to an old asylum on a remote island off the west coast of Ireland. It is being redeveloped and a mass grave has been disturbed. Most bodies are of ex-patients but one is thought to be that of a doctor who went missing Christmas Eve 40 years ago.
As well as following the team throughout their investigation, we also get to read the diary which Conrad's wife had. In it, concerns are raised about the treatment of patients in the asylum, callous treatment of vulnerable people with mental health issues, and some of whom who probably shouldn't even have been in an asylum. Had this diary given someone a motive for murder? And was it a patient or a staff member?
There was a real 'closed room' kind of atmosphere while the team were on island. There was no WiFi, a patchy mobile signal and important documents had to be sent back to the team on the mainland using a fax machine. The author created a really spooky atmosphere in the old building which was compounded by dark and dreary weather. Sometimes those on the island were effectively trapped as the boat to and from the mainland only sailed if the sea was calm enough. This all added up to give a really claustrophobic feel to the novel.
There were so many people it seemed with things to hide both past and present and many had possible motives to kill Conrad. But Tom and his team could never have guessed what darkness the building was hiding - and neither did I. The book shone a light on the way way people with mental health issues were so badly treated in the not so distant past. There were people kept in the asylum who may never have even been considered in need of help these days. One of the doctors does comment that people were doing what they thought the patients needed at the time but some of the so-called treatment was just cruel and inhumane.
The author so cleverly mis-directed me throughout the book that I had to go back and read some parts again and then it was all so clear! Jo Spain has written another fast-paced read which I thoroughly enjoyed and - no pressure - but I'm already looking forward to the next Reynolds novel! I am also looking forward to seeing her at an event at the Bloody Scotland crime festival in a few weeks where I hope to have a little chat about just when that next novel might be ready...
mysterious
medium-paced
The first full book I've read in 2020 and I loved it. A mysterious island housing a former insane asylum and a body found in a mass grave that shouldn't have been there. Thinking they've found the answer to a 40 year old disappearance the detectives head across to investigate and find more mystery. There's been a lot in the news over the years about treatments in institutions not just in Ireland where this is set but everywhere. Treatment is not as it was and often barbaric methods were used where nowadays we would simply take a pill. Reynolds and his team uncover such horrors while they try and solve a murder.
There are plenty of twists and turns and our baddies are truly evil. It makes for grim but fascinating reading. As the author says the story may be fiction but it's based on things that genuinely happened to people. It's excellently written and as mentioned with plenty of twists to keep you guessing right to the end. It's very atmospheric with the small island , abandoned asylum and lots of fog, so easy to picture and be creeped out by. A great start to my years reading and I highly recommend it.
There are plenty of twists and turns and our baddies are truly evil. It makes for grim but fascinating reading. As the author says the story may be fiction but it's based on things that genuinely happened to people. It's excellently written and as mentioned with plenty of twists to keep you guessing right to the end. It's very atmospheric with the small island , abandoned asylum and lots of fog, so easy to picture and be creeped out by. A great start to my years reading and I highly recommend it.