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A review by jane_kelsey
Dark Waters by G.R. Halliday
5.0
Amazing. Solid 5 stars. Need to recover after reading it ❤
___
There is nothing that will prepare you for the full force and dark atmospheric of Dark Waters by GR Halliday. This book will sweep you off your feet and carry you on a disturbing journey where every detail matters in the fight for survival…
Halliday is a master storyteller and since his debut novel From the Shadows, his skill level has increased tenfold. Dark waters is darkly captivating without flourish or artificial methods because Halliday’s writing style draws you in by using the vivid elements into this world to influence how the reader reacts.
Halliday is clearly remarkably familiar with Inverness, the location for his novels, and is able to use that for full artistic effect. The dense forest it fells oppressive and almost alive, claustrophobic which Monica herself feels as she is looking for clues, the dark caves and deep burrowing tunnels are hellish in appearance…
And all these elements marry together beautifully through the plot of the story, resulting in a dark, suspenseful, and eerie story that made my heart beat so much faster (I actually noted on page 63 that I’m forgetting how to breathe and my heart is racing). The story is told mainly from the POV of DI Kennedy, but occasionally to flick to other character’s perspectives, usually Annabelle, and I think it added so much more to the story to almost know what is happening, but not really giving you anymore and increasing suspense. The pacing is brilliant, slow in places to build the momentum, then your heard is going wild with so much anxiety for the characters – I almost screamed at them a few times out loud!, and the short chapters will keep you turning the page.
Also, the cogs moving the plot forward have logical sense and I did not sense any artificiality to get the story from A to B, instead the characters moved it all along beautifully.
In Dark Waters we get to know more about Monica’s team, delve deeper into their lives, all with purpose and meaning. It is clear that Halliday has been doing his homework and knows plenty about Police procedures and investigations. Made me chuckle a few times as in true detective style, nobody is bothering to take their radios with them and it made me stupidly happy that some typical thriller/horror clichés were considered for 0.5 seconds, then dismissed and did the rational thing! YESSSS!!!!
___
There is nothing that will prepare you for the full force and dark atmospheric of Dark Waters by GR Halliday. This book will sweep you off your feet and carry you on a disturbing journey where every detail matters in the fight for survival…
Halliday is a master storyteller and since his debut novel From the Shadows, his skill level has increased tenfold. Dark waters is darkly captivating without flourish or artificial methods because Halliday’s writing style draws you in by using the vivid elements into this world to influence how the reader reacts.
Halliday is clearly remarkably familiar with Inverness, the location for his novels, and is able to use that for full artistic effect. The dense forest it fells oppressive and almost alive, claustrophobic which Monica herself feels as she is looking for clues, the dark caves and deep burrowing tunnels are hellish in appearance…
And all these elements marry together beautifully through the plot of the story, resulting in a dark, suspenseful, and eerie story that made my heart beat so much faster (I actually noted on page 63 that I’m forgetting how to breathe and my heart is racing). The story is told mainly from the POV of DI Kennedy, but occasionally to flick to other character’s perspectives, usually Annabelle, and I think it added so much more to the story to almost know what is happening, but not really giving you anymore and increasing suspense. The pacing is brilliant, slow in places to build the momentum, then your heard is going wild with so much anxiety for the characters – I almost screamed at them a few times out loud!, and the short chapters will keep you turning the page.
Also, the cogs moving the plot forward have logical sense and I did not sense any artificiality to get the story from A to B, instead the characters moved it all along beautifully.
In Dark Waters we get to know more about Monica’s team, delve deeper into their lives, all with purpose and meaning. It is clear that Halliday has been doing his homework and knows plenty about Police procedures and investigations. Made me chuckle a few times as in true detective style, nobody is bothering to take their radios with them and it made me stupidly happy that some typical thriller/horror clichés were considered for 0.5 seconds, then dismissed and did the rational thing! YESSSS!!!!