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A review by jesikasbookshelf
The Darker Side by Cody McFadyen
4.0
The third offering in the Smoky Barrett series was different in that we didn't have someone purposefully trying to use Smoky as their own personal bargaining chip within law enforcement. It was refreshing to be honest.
This book is more complex because it hinges on a very different reason for killing than you normally read of in such books, that being repressed sexual anger. Instead, here we have a wholly religious belief gone horribly wrong.
The character development in this book for our main team was spot on. We're two years on here from the last book and I think that was wise. James' revelations kept on coming and I seriously hope we get to meet his mother. Callie is engaged and battling addiction, it was great to see Kirby back but I'm mystified as to why Leo didn't reappear. Alan had a moment in this book where I was shocked and considered whether I could still like him which is great character progression.
Most of all, we see into Smoky's past. Both to her loss of her mother and the hard decisions she made after her husband and child died. We learn about her through both these personal experiences and I think we come to appreciate her way of viewing death, pain and survival more by seeing her this way.
I didn't guess this time! I was mystified and I feel like McFayden has settled into his plot and story telling abilities with a little more confidence in this book. A great read I raced through.
This book is more complex because it hinges on a very different reason for killing than you normally read of in such books, that being repressed sexual anger. Instead, here we have a wholly religious belief gone horribly wrong.
The character development in this book for our main team was spot on. We're two years on here from the last book and I think that was wise. James' revelations kept on coming and I seriously hope we get to meet his mother. Callie is engaged and battling addiction, it was great to see Kirby back but I'm mystified as to why Leo didn't reappear. Alan had a moment in this book where I was shocked and considered whether I could still like him which is great character progression.
Most of all, we see into Smoky's past. Both to her loss of her mother and the hard decisions she made after her husband and child died. We learn about her through both these personal experiences and I think we come to appreciate her way of viewing death, pain and survival more by seeing her this way.
I didn't guess this time! I was mystified and I feel like McFayden has settled into his plot and story telling abilities with a little more confidence in this book. A great read I raced through.