Book Review: Some Choose Darkness by Charlie Donlea

Author: Charlie Donlea

Title: Some Choose Darkness

Series: Rory Moore/Lane Phillips #1

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Contemporary

Format: ebook

Pages: 307

Published: April 2, 2019

Where I Got It: Borrowed from the library

Summary: 

Forensic reconstructionist Rory Moore sheds light on cold-case homicides by piecing together crime scene details others fail to see. Cleaning out her late father’s law office after his burial, she receives a call that plunges her into a decades-old case . . .

 

In the summer of 1979, five Chicago women went missing. The predator, nicknamed The Thief, left no bodies or clues behind—until police received a package from a mysterious woman named Angela Mitchell, whose unorthodox investigations appeared to unmask the killer. Then Angela disappeared without a trace. Forty years later, The Thief is about to be paroled for Angela’s murder. But the cryptic file Rory finds in her father’s law office suggests there is more to the case.

 

Making one startling discovery after another, Rory becomes helplessly entangled in the enigma of Angela Mitchell and what happened to her. As she continues to dig, even Rory can’t be prepared for the full, terrifying truth that is emerging . . .

Review:

This is the next book for my book club. I had enjoyed a previous book by the author so I was pretty excited for this one. 

Here we follow Rory Moore and Angela Mitchell. For Angela's POV it is the year 1979 and there is a serial killer in Chicago, however, the bodies of these missing women cannot be found. Thanks to Angela's unorthodox investigation, she is able to help the police unmask the killer. Still no bodies and she goes missing without a trace. In 2019, Rory Moore is a forensic reconstructionist. She helps shed new light on cold-case murders. When her father unexpectedly passes away, it is up to her to clean out her late father's law office and take care of his clients...she will find herself looking over a decades-old case and representing the serial killer from the 1970s when he goes up for parole. 

Okay. There is a lot going on in this one. Things start happening pretty quickly at the beginning, but there are some slowdowns which was nice. You need some time to learn about Rory in 2019 and Angela in 1979. They are both fumbling with life and what has landed in their laps. 

Omg....poor Rory. Her mom died a couple years ago, now Dad is dead, and then someone else she cares about passes too! Poor thing. She has a cold case she needs to work on and taking up the mantle for her father's clients. She hasn't used her law degree in a while and she is suppose to be in mourning. Lordiieeee. 

Of course, poor Angela too especially when you find out all the truths by the end.

When the big reveal of who the serial killer is I wasn't overly surprised. The person was super sus to me. However........there was something I was surprised by!!!!!! I can't say without spoiling. I still find someone sus of something. IDK, it just bugs me. Can't say. GAH so hard not to just spoil...okay. [SPOILER ALERT] I was totally surprised The Thief's business partner wasn't involved. I was waiting for an accomplice. I mean...he kind of did have a 2nd with his uncle. The uncle let him bury the bodies on his property. WHICH....what did he get out of that??? Sicko. But I truly felt the business partner was going to be a sicko too. [SPOILER ENDED] Okay, I got that off my chest. 

There is another reveal that I didn't see coming at all. Nice twist there. 

At first I was meh about to the two different time periods going on. By the end I grew to like it and understand why it was written the way it was written, but I think I would've liked just Rory's POV and to uncover stuff with her. Like I said...I did end up getting used to it and I did up liking Angela's side of the story.

In the end, this was pretty dang good. I would love to see this be a movie or show. Rory is a fascinating main character. And the twists and turns were good. I'll give this 4 stars. 

Book Review: Twenty Years Later by Charlie Donlea

Author: Charlie Donlea

Title: Twenty Years Later

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Historical Fiction, Contemporary

Format: ebook

Pages: 357

Published: December 28th 2021

Where I Got It: My shelf (Amazon)

Summary: 

Hiding her own dark past in plain sight, a TV reporter is determined to uncover the truth behind a gruesome murder decades after the investigation was abandoned. But TWENTY YEARS LATER, to understand the present, you need to listen to the past…

Avery Mason, host of American Events, knows the subjects that grab a TV audience’s attention. Her latest story—a murder mystery laced with kinky sex, tragedy, and betrayal—is guaranteed to be ratings gold. New DNA technology has allowed the New York medical examiner’s office to make its first successful identification of a 9/11 victim in years. The twist: the victim, Victoria Ford, had been accused of the gruesome murder of her married lover. In a chilling last phone call to her sister, Victoria begged her to prove her innocence.

Emma Kind has waited twenty years to put her sister to rest, but closure won’t be complete until she can clear Victoria’s name. Alone she’s had no luck, but she’s convinced that Avery’s connections and fame will help. Avery, hoping to negotiate a more lucrative network contract, goes into investigative overdrive. Victoria had been having an affair with a successful novelist, found hanging from the balcony of his Catskills mansion. The rope, the bedroom, and the entire crime scene was covered in Victoria’s DNA.

But the twisted puzzle of Victoria’s private life just the beginning. And what Avery doesn't realize is that there are other players in the game who are interested in Avery’s own secret past—one she has kept hidden from both the network executives and her television audience. A secret she thought was dead and buried . . .

Review:

Picked this up for book club. Plus...I think I was itching for a good mystery/thriller soooo perfect timing. 

The story follows Avery Mason who is the host of a TV show. Her latest story will be about a murder from 20 years ago. It is laced with kinky sex, tragedy, and betrayal. With the new DNA technology, the New York medical examiner's office makes its first successful identification of a 9/11 victim in years. This victim is none other than Victoria Ford who had been accused of the gruesome murder of her lover. Along with that, there is a chilling last phone call from Victoria who begged her sister to prove her innocence. Avery will uncover a twisted puzzle of Victoria's private life. And what Avery doesn't realize is that there are other players on the board who are interested in Avery's own secret past. 

This book was certainly a puzzle. A lot of moving pieces. I found myself back reading just to make sure I didn't miss anything vital. This is really a book you HAVE to pay attention to. Between the Victoria mystery AND Avery's own personal history...there is a lot at play here. Some are tied together, some are not. 

I was a little unsure about this the first couple of chapters. This started really, really, really slow. There was a lot of character and story building going on SO it makes, but it was slow. 

Once Avery was on the hunt and doing her research and interviews, I was absolutely hooked. The last quarter had me staying up WAY too late on a work night. Whoops. hahaha. I literally could not put it down. I HAD to know what was going to happen next. 

Oh.

My.

Goodness. 

I did not expect the ending. That left me certainly mouth agape and shocked. I even re-read to make sure I didn't misunderstand...I mean it was WAY past my bedtime. It was a shocker, but I was mad. Maybe it was because I had a certain hope in my head? Kuddos to the author, but I pissed at certain character(s). UGH. *shakes fist* 

 Honestly...this would make a great TV special. A few episodes maybe on Netflix or Hulu or something. It was intriguing and dang that twist at the end...

Major parts of the book revolve around 9/11 so it can be triggering for some. Avery interviews and looks into survivors who may have remembered Victoria on that day. I will admit that I was nervous about this since I have struggled to read and watch movies about this event in the past. I felt it was done tastefully and respectively, so I am happy with that. 

In the end, if you love a good mystery and thriller, this is certainly one you should pick up. It had all the elements. The beginning IS slow, so be warned there. There is a lot of character setup and world-building. Overall, I shall stamp this with 4 stars.