Into the Dark by Karen Rose ~ a Review

by Donna Huber

Chapter 1
Diesel Kennedy blew his whistle and gestured for the kids to join him on the sideline. "That's good for today, guys. Come on over."
He smiled at the ten kindergarteners ambling off the field. They were all too cute in their shin guards and little cleats. Only two of the boys had any soccers competence at all. The others missed the ball, fell down, ran into each other, and generally looked like they were doing a Three Stooges routine. But they tried so hard and seemed to be having fun, which was the real win Diesel was looking for when he coached their team. (p. 13) 

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

November 2019; Berkley; 978-0593198049
audio, ebook, print (528 pages); romantic suspense

In to the Dark is the 5 book in Karen Rose's Cincinnati series. I haven't read any of the other books in the series, but after reading the first book in her Sacramento series Say You're Sorry (read my review) this past March I had to pick up this book when I saw it at Netgalley. Thankfully it could be read as a stand alone. There are a few references to events in the other books, but enough information is provided for a new reader to know what is happened.

I loved Say You're Sorry. Sometimes when you discover a new to you author the first book wows you but then the second one doesn't live up to expectations because you've set the bar really high. I will say I had really high expectations going into this book. And I can also say that Rose not only met but exceeded those expectations. Into the Dark is brilliant!

The writing is raw, realistic, and emotional. I had tears streaming down my face before I even hit the 10% mark. The story is very emotionally, but the plot is paced well so there are moments of relief from the suspense and shocking details. Rose does not shy away from the evils of the world. She shows how dark the world is, but also shines the light on the good.

I loved the characters. This book is focused on Dani and Diesel. I gather that the previous books in the series focus on different individuals in their circle of friends. These characters play a supporting role in this novel, but their personality is quite evident and I want to know them more. I want to pick up the other books, not just because they will be great thrillers, but because I want to know these characters more. Even without the dangerous plots, I would still want to pick up this series just for the characters.

Into the Dark has a unique element. There are deaf people as key characters. Dani's brother is deaf so this element is woven into the whole series (at least I would assume Greg shows up in the other books). In this book, one of the children they Dani and Diesel (and the rest of their friends) are trying to protect is also deaf. Rose has experience with the deaf and hard of hearing culture and I felt she portrayed the characters accurately and fully, and they aren't just stereotypical "handicap" characters. I have deaf relatives and Rose brought into the story issues that I have seen them discuss.

I will warn you that reading Into the Dark will give you a book hangover. I'm having trouble picking up my next book because I'm not quite ready to leave this story yet. Thankfully, Rose has a long backlist that I'm sure will be just as satisfying.

Buy Into the Dark at Amazon

Donna Huber is an avid reader and natural encourager. She is the founder of Girl Who Reads and the author of how-to marketing book Secrets to a Successful Blog Tour. 

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