Darkness Falls

In this third book in this excellent series, ex detective and criminology lecturer Kate Marshall has given up her teaching position at a local university to establish a private investigation agency with her former research assistant, Tristan Harper.

Tristan is still working part time at the university while the agency gets on its feet, while Kate is also busy running the holiday caravan business left to her by her friend and AA mentor Myrna. However, her son Jake, now eighteen and at university, is coming to spend the summer with her to take over managing the bookings and campers.

After a slow start to the agency, Kate and Tristan have been hired to re-investigate a twelve year old cold case, that of missing investigative journalist, Joanna Harper. Her mother Bev still has trouble accepting that Joanna could be dead and wants to find out what happened to her, no matter what Kate discovers. Joanna disappeared after work one day from a car park near her office. Her phone was found under her car, but her laptop was never found and police were unable to find any clues as to who might have taken her. Six months before she went missing, Joanna had been instrumental in exposing a member of Parliament for corrupt handling of council contracts and after the national press picked up the story, he lost his seat. However, no one seemed to know what she was working on at the time she disappeared. Going through a box given to her by Bev, containing Joanna’s papers and diaries from work, Kate noticed the names of two men etched into the lid with a phone number. When they both turn out to be missing gay men, she wonders if this could somehow be related to Joanna’s disappearance.

This very engaging mystery is perfectly paced. As the mystery deepens and Kate and Tristan tease out the facts relating to the missing men, the suspense and tension build. It’s a difficult case, and takes a lot of perseverance for Kate and Tristan to track down key people witnesses from twelve years ago. There are quite a few twists and wrong turns before the whole shocking picture comes into focus and the final revelation is very cleverly done. Robert Bryndza always writes great characters and Kate and Tristan are developing well in their new roles in this third book of the series. The events in their personal lives are seamlessly woven into the ongoing mystery adding depth and interest to this very enjoyable series – one not to be missed.

With thanks to Thomas & Mercer via Netgalley for a copy to read. Publication expected  December 7, 2021.