Into the Dark by Karen Rose – Review, Excerpt & Giveaway
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Description:
When Michael Rowland saves his younger brother Joshua from the clutches of his stepfather, he runs for his life with his brother in his arms. From his hiding place he sees the man who has made their lives a misery taken away in the trunk of a stranger’s car, never to be seen again.
Doctor Dani Novak has been keeping soccer coach Diesel Kennedy at arm’s length to protect him from her dark secrets. When they are brought together by the two young brothers who desperately need their help, it seems they might finally be able to leave their damaged pasts behind them.
But as the only witness to the man who kidnapped and murdered his stepfather, Michael is in danger. As Diesel and Dani do all that they can to protect him, their own investigation into the murder uncovers a much darker web of secrets than they could have imagined.
As more bodies start to appear it’s clear that this killer wants vengeance. And will wipe out anything that gets in his way…
Review:
Into the Dark by Karen Rose is the 5th book in her Cincinnati romance suspense series. The last book I had read in this series, I had noted that it was one of the best thrillers of the year. I have read a few of Rose’s other series, and they were equally as awesome. I was thrilled to find out that Into the Dark returns to the Cincinnati series, which has some wonderful secondary characters. Once again, Rose gives us a sensational book, which not only keeps us on the edge of our seats with intense and exciting action, but was also an emotional and heartwarming story.
The book starts off with a bang, as teenager Michael Rowland is being chased by first his step father, trying to run away with his 5-year-old brother, Joshua. Michael is protecting Joshua from his evil father, and just when he thinks he is safe, he sees his father murdered by another man.
Michael, who is deaf, will run into his coach Diesel Kennedy (our hero), who will notice that Michael is bleeding and brings him to Doctor Dani Novak, who will treat Michael. Dani, our heroine, is also deaf in one ear; works with abused children, and is able communicate with the deaf using sign language. She is also an emergency foster care provider. The police find the father’s body, and early on suspect Michael may have killed his father, since his mother claims he did. But evidence will prove that Michael is innocent, but his life is in danger, as the murderer will find out that Michael can identify him.
Both Dani and Diesel will take on the responsibility of taking care and protecting both Michael and Joshua at her place. The best part of this is all the wonderful secondary characters we have come to know in the previous books (Marcus, Stone, Scarlett, Meredith, Deacon and Adam, just to name a few), who are cops, FBI, doctors, therapists; who all come to their aid and work together to protect the boys, as well as try to find the murder; especially since so many bodies are showing up.
There are two main parts of this story; a mystery revolving around a murderer, who is a vigilante, killing anyone who was trafficking or abusing children, even if he killed innocent people along the way; and the romance between Diesel and Dani. Make no mistake this is a very heartbreaking and emotional story, with topics such as child sexual abuse, HIV, human trafficking, etc. We couldn’t help but feel sorry for both Michael, and Joshua, and I loved how Diesel and Dani were with them. We know that Diesel has always love Dani, but she has held him off due to her lack of confidence (losing a boyfriend to suicide) and mostly due to her HIV status. It was great to watch as she slowly brought down her wall to open her heart to Diesel, and both boys.
This is just the beginning of an intense & complex murder mystery that will result in more murders. What follows is an amazing story that held me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. Even though we knew who the murderer was, it was an action-packed thriller, with Diesel, Dani and the rest of this great team in danger so many times. We held our breaths, as their lives would hang by a thread. In between these many tense moments, I loved how Diesel and Dani opened their hearts to Michael and Joshua, and the close bond between them and their strong, smart and loyal team of close-knit friends and family.
I am in awe of Karen Rose, as her books are so well written with fantastic characters, evil villains, a great couple, and a totally intense mystery that keeps you in suspense to the very end. If you love suspense, with a touch of romance and a thriller all the way, you should be reading anything by Karen Rose. I know I will.
Reviewed by Barb
Copy provided by Publisher
Cincinnati, Ohio Saturday, March 16, 4:00 p.m.
Michael winced at the ball of fear lodged in his gut. It actually hurt. What was the doctor going to do? What was she going to ask?
He’d seen the understanding in her eyes when he’d asked if the lady cop could be the witness instead of one of the two men. Dr. Dani knew.
Dammit.
He’d followed her into the same exam room he’d been in before. Sitting on the paper- covered table, he watched as the lady cop took po¬sition in the corner, her expression kind.
Shit. She knew, too. His face flushed hotter than fire. Now they’d all know. They’d tell the two men outside. They’d tell Coach Diesel. Everyone will know.
His stomach churned in misery as the nurse came in. She looked businesslike, at least. The interpreter came in last and met his eyes.
“I’m here for you,” she signed without voicing for the others. “I’m bound to confidentiality. You get that, right? I’ll never share what you say with anyone outside this room.”
He nodded. “I get it.” It didn’t really help. She’d still know. And he wasn’t worried about her telling anyone anyway. It was the others who’d tell. Especially the cop. She had to report abuse. So did the doctor and nurse. They were required to by law. Just like teachers. Which was why he’d never told any of his teachers.
He fought the tears stinging his eyes. He would not cry, dammit. This was humiliating enough without him crying.
The interpreter closed the door and suddenly the room was very crowded. More crowded than it had been before, even though Coach Diesel had also been here, taking up more space than two of the women put together.
At least the social worker had stayed outside to talk to the two detec¬tives, but this room was too crowded. Too many people. Michael’s chest began to hurt, his breath coming faster and faster, and he clamped a hand over his mouth, afraid he’d be sick. Fan- fucking- tastic.
Dr. Dani had been preparing to check his shoulder, but from the corner of his eye he saw her pause, her gloved hand slowly rising to touch his face, like she was afraid he’d bolt.
His gaze shot up to meet hers. Gentleness. That was what he saw and felt. All that he saw and felt. She was stroking his face gently, her oddly colored eyes so patient.
No blame. No mockery. No questions. Just . . . gentleness.
“Breathe with me,” she signed with her free hand, then placed it on her chest. He watched as she breathed in and out, realizing that he was matching her pace without even trying. The nausea slowly went away, leaving him . . . tired.
“So tired,” he signed and she smiled sadly.
“I know. You can rest later. I’m not going to leave you.”
He swallowed hard. “They’ll put me in jail. You can’t stay with me then.”
Her jaw tightened, not in anger, but in determination. “I’ll fight for you, but try not to worry just yet. I want to check your shoulder, okay?”
He thought about his bruises, the deep scratches from the night he’d fallen in the woods, Joshua in his arms. The bruises had faded, but some of the scratches were still there. They’ll think I fought him. They’ll think I did it. That I killed him.
His anxiety rose once again and his head spun.
Dr. Dani’s hand cupped his face again, squeezing lightly so that he looked at her. “Breathe, honey. Breathe with me.”
He tried. He really did. But he was so damn tired. He felt the sob surging from his gut, clogging his throat. He tried to fight it, but he couldn’t. It broke free and he dropped his head, unable to keep his cries silent.
He hated to cry out loud. Hated the sounds he made. His mother used to tell him that he sounded like an animal when he cried. So he’d learned to cry with no sound at all.
But not today. He could feel the sobs coming out of his throat and the tears coming out of his eyes and he couldn’t stop them.
Dr. Dani’s arms came around him and held him tight, rocking him gently, stroking his hair.
Like he wished his mother had done, every time he’d cried. But she never had. Not once.
Tentatively he reached around the doctor’s back and gripped hand¬fuls of her white coat. She nodded against his cheek and he held on until he exhausted himself with weeping and was able to choke back the stupid sobs. They’d seen. All the women in the room had seen him cry.
Heard him, too.
God.
New humiliation washed over him. But he was too tired to panic anymore. Someone tucked some tissues into his hand and he pulled back from the doctor’s warm hug to mop his face and blow his nose, his eyes now fixed downward. He couldn’t face her. Couldn’t face any of them.
He drew a deep breath through his nose, hoping he wasn’t snorting too rudely. Then froze. He drew another deep sniff, realizing he could smell chocolate.
He looked up then, but all he saw was Dr. Dani, dabbing at her own eyes.
She cried, too. For me. It was . . . a lot more than he’d expected.
His hands were moving before he realized it. “You smell like chocolate.”
She smiled, blinking away more tears. “My shampoo,” she answered, then drew a breath of her own. “I’m not going to tell you that everything will be okay, because I don’t know what’s going to happen. Except that I won’t abandon you.”
“Or Joshua?”
She nodded firmly. “Or Joshua.”
He chanced a look around, saw that the other women were waiting patiently. His interpreter’s eyes were wet, as were the nurse’s. And the cop’s. That surprised him. No one looked angry. No one looked dis¬gusted.
They just looked sad.
He turned back to the doctor. He trusted her word, that she wouldn’t abandon his brother. Still, Joshua was not her responsibility. He’s mine. He’d do what he needed to do to get him back. Starting with this exam. Nervously he ran his fingers through his hair, wincing when he brushed over the stitches he’d all but forgotten with the arrival of the detectives. “Okay, I’m ready. You can check my shoulder.”
He just prayed she wouldn’t need to see anything more. That she knew that he’d been hurt by a man was humiliating enough. Her seeing it? All the women seeing it?
That was too much.Posted by arrangement with Berkley, a member of Penguin Group (USA) LLC, A Penguin Random House Company. Copyright © Karen Rose, 2019.
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