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A review by jdelaossa
Gone to Darkness by Barbara Nickless
4.0
This book is a must-read series for all suspense/thriller and crime fiction fans!
My Brief Synopsis:
War vet and former railway cop, Sydney Parnell takes her prowess for solving crimes and honed gut instinct to Denver as a novice homicide detective. Parnell, her K9 partner, and nemesis Len Bandoni are tasked with solving multiple unexpected crimes. Arduous for a veteran homicide detective, let alone a novice.
Book Review
TW: murder, violence, sexual assault, use of phrase “illegal” immigrants, brief animal violence
Gone to Darkness begins with an incredible prologue titled, “The Coming Dark”. My skin prickled, hair standing on end. Nickless pulled me in despite the terror that came with these thoughts.
“He’d spent months collecting every scrap he could. So he could take her in. So he could inhale her.”
-Prologue, The Coming Dark
“He loved that the room was always cold.”
-Prologue, The Coming Dark
Plot & Characters
From that first line to the very last, my attention never wavered because Nickless had such a grasp on the plot. The novel was unwavering in its flow. Chapter transitions were smooth as butter, and her main characters easy to humanize and empathize with. The introduction of characters Evan Wilding, a forensic semiotics expert and Len Bandoni as Parnell’s homicide partner were my favorite additions.
The only aspect with which I felt disengaged was with a couple of characters involved in the “elite” club that is at the heart of the novel. They felt too contrived. It could just be that my frame of reference didn’t allow me to fully appreciate their character and traits fully.
World-building
Nickless did a bang-up job of capturing the industrial nature of Parnell’s Denver-based environment. Throughout the story, I had some seriously vivid imagery from Parnell’s experiences, her thoughts, and the interactions between her and the many characters she comes in contact with. That was my favorite part of this novel. It felt gritty, twisted, and with a darkness that was palpable throughout.
Themes
(Two major ones. Of course there are more.)
Darkness & PTSD
I found a particular quote that to me parallels the internal struggle Parnell has been facing regarding her active duty experiences that continued to haunt her throughout the novel.
“...to a place nigh, somewhat retir’d there to sit a while and bemoan his condition. Where he happens at length to be visited by certain friends and equals of his tribe, which make the Chorus, who seek to comfort him what they can."
-John Milton, “Samson Agonistes“
Parnell’s war experiences are her darkness, resulting in her battle with PTSD. “Samson Agonistes” plays over repeatedly in my head because she is haunted by this: witnessing traumatic injuries and death; not being able to save everyone; and reliving those moments long after her veteran status. She finds herself reminiscing the horror those memories contain (“to a place nigh, somewhat retir’d there to sit a while and bemoan his condition”). She “sees” her ghosts (“Where he happens at length to be visited by certain friends and equals of his tribe”). Does she obtain that comfort (“who seek to comfort him what they can”)? You’ll have to read to find out.
Perseverance
This seems to be an obvious theme. Parnell continues to do what she feels is right despite the discussions from above telling her very frankly to essentially “knock it off”. She works tirelessly to prove herself capable and worthy of this new appointment as homicide detective for Denver’s Major Crime Unit. The only one with a K9 partner (who is fabulous.) Most importantly, she works through her trauma despite all the violence, death, and mystery she’s entangled in.
Favorite Quotes
“Someone once told me that murder cops are the foot soldiers in the battle between good and evil.”
-Sydney Parnell. Personal Journal.
“Hey, Golden Girl. Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they’re not out to get you.”
-Len Bandoni. Private conversation.
“If trauma is the darkness that knocks us off our path, then life is about finding our way home. But first, we must learn to navigate the dark.
-Sydney Parnell. Personal journal.
“And I wondered for the first time, if it was possible to resurrect the living.”
-Sydney Parnell. Personal journal.
“Life, rookie, is an accumulation of heartbreak.”
-Len Bandoni. Private conversation.
Final Thoughts
I highly recommend this book to any suspense/thriller lover. To anyone that enjoys a strong female-led police procedural or a crime thriller. Even the “whodunnit” fan will find many aspects of this novel enthralling. You could read this as a stand-alone however, there’s much more to gain through the first three novels in the series.
I'd love to connect with you on ig
check out my blog for other reviews
My Brief Synopsis:
War vet and former railway cop, Sydney Parnell takes her prowess for solving crimes and honed gut instinct to Denver as a novice homicide detective. Parnell, her K9 partner, and nemesis Len Bandoni are tasked with solving multiple unexpected crimes. Arduous for a veteran homicide detective, let alone a novice.
Book Review
TW: murder, violence, sexual assault, use of phrase “illegal” immigrants, brief animal violence
Gone to Darkness begins with an incredible prologue titled, “The Coming Dark”. My skin prickled, hair standing on end. Nickless pulled me in despite the terror that came with these thoughts.
“He’d spent months collecting every scrap he could. So he could take her in. So he could inhale her.”
-Prologue, The Coming Dark
“He loved that the room was always cold.”
-Prologue, The Coming Dark
Plot & Characters
From that first line to the very last, my attention never wavered because Nickless had such a grasp on the plot. The novel was unwavering in its flow. Chapter transitions were smooth as butter, and her main characters easy to humanize and empathize with. The introduction of characters Evan Wilding, a forensic semiotics expert and Len Bandoni as Parnell’s homicide partner were my favorite additions.
The only aspect with which I felt disengaged was with a couple of characters involved in the “elite” club that is at the heart of the novel. They felt too contrived. It could just be that my frame of reference didn’t allow me to fully appreciate their character and traits fully.
World-building
Nickless did a bang-up job of capturing the industrial nature of Parnell’s Denver-based environment. Throughout the story, I had some seriously vivid imagery from Parnell’s experiences, her thoughts, and the interactions between her and the many characters she comes in contact with. That was my favorite part of this novel. It felt gritty, twisted, and with a darkness that was palpable throughout.
Themes
(Two major ones. Of course there are more.)
Darkness & PTSD
I found a particular quote that to me parallels the internal struggle Parnell has been facing regarding her active duty experiences that continued to haunt her throughout the novel.
“...to a place nigh, somewhat retir’d there to sit a while and bemoan his condition. Where he happens at length to be visited by certain friends and equals of his tribe, which make the Chorus, who seek to comfort him what they can."
-John Milton, “Samson Agonistes“
Parnell’s war experiences are her darkness, resulting in her battle with PTSD. “Samson Agonistes” plays over repeatedly in my head because she is haunted by this: witnessing traumatic injuries and death; not being able to save everyone; and reliving those moments long after her veteran status. She finds herself reminiscing the horror those memories contain (“to a place nigh, somewhat retir’d there to sit a while and bemoan his condition”). She “sees” her ghosts (“Where he happens at length to be visited by certain friends and equals of his tribe”). Does she obtain that comfort (“who seek to comfort him what they can”)? You’ll have to read to find out.
Perseverance
This seems to be an obvious theme. Parnell continues to do what she feels is right despite the discussions from above telling her very frankly to essentially “knock it off”. She works tirelessly to prove herself capable and worthy of this new appointment as homicide detective for Denver’s Major Crime Unit. The only one with a K9 partner (who is fabulous.) Most importantly, she works through her trauma despite all the violence, death, and mystery she’s entangled in.
Favorite Quotes
“Someone once told me that murder cops are the foot soldiers in the battle between good and evil.”
-Sydney Parnell. Personal Journal.
“Hey, Golden Girl. Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they’re not out to get you.”
-Len Bandoni. Private conversation.
“If trauma is the darkness that knocks us off our path, then life is about finding our way home. But first, we must learn to navigate the dark.
-Sydney Parnell. Personal journal.
“And I wondered for the first time, if it was possible to resurrect the living.”
-Sydney Parnell. Personal journal.
“Life, rookie, is an accumulation of heartbreak.”
-Len Bandoni. Private conversation.
Final Thoughts
I highly recommend this book to any suspense/thriller lover. To anyone that enjoys a strong female-led police procedural or a crime thriller. Even the “whodunnit” fan will find many aspects of this novel enthralling. You could read this as a stand-alone however, there’s much more to gain through the first three novels in the series.
I'd love to connect with you on ig
check out my blog for other reviews