Montlake Romance | December 2019 | 411 pgs
Source: Library
Locked-room mysteries are quite popular among the suspense/thriller genre and no matter how many times I read them I still find them captivating.
In this book the story was set in the secluded high-end wilderness in mountain lodge at Kluhane Bay. Eight guests, including the private floatplane pilot, are invited to the all-expenses-paid trip at Thunderbird Ridge for the "lodge experience" and to decide if they want to put in tenders for long-term contracts; among these guests' field include services like housekeeping, catering, security and a few other expertise according to their profession. One could say it's a perfect getaway with business opportunities and all but the trip didn't start out smoothly even before they fly.
First, one of the guests is sick and couldn't take the trip and when the pilot cross checked his name on the list, she realises that his name isn't even listed. Although this seems a little off, they all proceed without giving it much thoughts, thinking it's a mess up. Then there's the bad weather which leads them for an emergency landing and with no coordinates and connections, they're cut off from civilisation but they do manage to find an abandoned lodge which offers them some refuge.
As they try to settle down and hope that help will be on the way, the pilot has more bad news for the group. It seems someone has tempered with the plane radio and without it, they are all stranded without any way of connecting with the outside world. Fear could induce a person to do something to get out of the unexpected circumstances, but it could also make him brutal and murderous, especially when it appears each of the guest has secrets and something to hide. And when they finally realise that the trip is more of a trap than a getaway, it's a little too late as someone is trying to kill for the things they'd done in the past -- for they're all connected in one way or another.
When homicide cop Mason Deniaud and search and rescue expert Callie Sutton are alerted to the eight missing persons case, they initially think it is simply a plane tragedy caused by bad weather until they stumbled on a few bodies which make them think otherwise. Based on their initial findings, the bodies they found have injuries that indicate they were being stabbed or mutilated. Something had happened at the isolated lodge and they intend to find out what happened as well as to search for the other missing persons. Most of all, are the remainings still alive and if the killer is among them?
In the Dark is kind of a reminiscence to Agatha Christie's And Then There Is None; a book which remains one of my favourite locked-room mysteries. That said, this book stands on its own through its plot and the complexity relationship among the characters as they shared their ugly dark past and in return how each individual's act would play a part in their own tragedy thereafter. The suspense and the execution was quite well done in my opinion, but as it was told in multiple narrations and between the past and the present, some readers may find this a distraction but personally I found this style to be effective. I also liked the interactions between Mason and Callie; their background and the things they'd gone through in their personal life have added some depth to the story and have me hoping if there would be a series featuring them in the near future.
Some information about the author: Loreth Anne White also writes romantic suspense alongside thrillers and mysteries. She's also the recipient of the Overall 2017 Daphne du Maurier Award, the Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Award, the National Readers' Choice Award, and the Romantic Crown for Best Romantic Suspense and Best Book Overall.
Some information about the author: Loreth Anne White also writes romantic suspense alongside thrillers and mysteries. She's also the recipient of the Overall 2017 Daphne du Maurier Award, the Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Award, the National Readers' Choice Award, and the Romantic Crown for Best Romantic Suspense and Best Book Overall.
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I'm susceptible to locked room mysteries, and this one sounds good! Thanks Melody! Yeah, I really need another book on the list, but once my curiosity is aroused, my good intentions about not overloading my list...fail.
Jenclair - A new-to-me author and I'm glad to have discovered this one. I'll be sure to check out her other genres, too. I hope you'll enjoy this book if you get to it. And I share your sentiments about not overloading the book list! ;)
I really like locked room mysteries, too, and this one sounds particularly good. :)
Lark - There's something about locked-room mysteries, isn't it? I think you might enjoy this book, Lark. :)
I love this type of mystery so I want to read this one. Glad to hear you rated it so highly!
Iliana - I hope you'll enjoy it when you get to it, Iliana.
I like locked room mysteries too, and you make this one sound so good! I will definitely have to add it to my wish list.
Wendy - I really enjoyed reading this. She's a new-to-me author so I'll be sure to check out her other books.