Reviews

4.5 stars

Solidly constructed, Dark Objects delivers everything I want from a police procedural thriller. Fiction with heavy emphasis on the investigative procedure is not something I typically gravitate towards—I find them a little too by the numbers, always following the same story beats. But once in a while I would pick one up just to scratch my true crime itch, and I'm very glad I chose this one (it's bold, moody cover definitely did a lot of the convincing).

Even though the overarching structure is familiar (a crime is discovered, police collects evidences, interviews are conducted, etc.), Simon Toyne manages to keep things fresh with some creative storytelling mechanisms (my favorite, and the most unexpected, was the housewives' WhatsApp group chat—a genius way to 'info dump' and adding a different perspective to the mix). I also really enjoy reading from all the characters (a very even spread of quirks and personal conflicts), as well as the way the mystery builds and unfolds. I'll also note this novel works great as an audiobook (I consumed about half of it that way), if you're interested in that format.

The ending... that's where readers will either be onboard with it or not. I'll say it definitely leans on the side of over-the-top (while the story has been pretty grounded up to that point), but thematically I get its intention and it comes across crystal clear. Yes, in retrospect I can definitely notice some obvious plot holes (as the proceeding relies on an abundant amount of serendipity for it to play out as intended), but it doesn't distract from my overall enjoyment.

litwithleigh's review

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4.0

Writing: 5/5 | Plot: 4/5 | Ending: 3/5

SYNOPSIS

Kate Miller is found brutally murdered and posed with several odd items surrounding her, including a book called How to Process a Murder by Laughton Rees. As Laughton is involuntarily brought into the investigation of who Kate Miller really was and where is her husband?

MY OPINION

This was solid. It reminded me of Look Closer by David Ellis: intelligently written, intricately woven, with unique and distinct characters. I loved the asides with the Whatsapp ladies; a clever way to move the plot forward while simultaneously giving us reprieve from the serious stuff. I also felt the characters were well-written, especially Slade. What a piece of shit. As if journalists don't have a bad enough reputation LOL.

I liked how the book was broken up in sections that aligned with the items left at the crime scene and led with excerpts from the book. Were the excerpts a little to philosophical and fluffy? Yes. But it foreshadowed that section perfectly. Also, that whole mask with the eyes cut larger was freaky af. No spoilers, but one scene in particular is chilling. FYI suspension of disbelief is required for this Criminal Minds esque story, but the superior writing quality keeps you enthralled.

My positive reviews are always quite boring, so let's spice it up with my big complaint: THE ENDING. BRUHHHHH LOL. Once again, that extra twisty twist left a sour taste in my mouth. It would've been better without it. The final twist was contrived and illogical; even with my disbelief suspended, I couldn't let that one slide. And the final action scene was pretty cringworthy too but that's just me. I'm curious to see what others have to say about the final twisty twist after reading it.

Some smaller complaints: Laughton's OCD with the number 3 seemed to fade in and out. Was it stress-induced? Idk. Sometimes she couldn't do anything without counting to three and other times she was galavanting a murder scene without a care in the world. Near the end there were some minor plot holes. The repetitive use of "whispered across...", pls use another verb.

Sorry folks, a shortish and sweet review. No bad blood with this book. Just an FYI, it's very character driven (lots of focus on Laughton's past and her complex relationship with her daughter). Yes, there's the police procedural aspect, but I think the gold in this book lies in Laughton and even Slade's personal journeys.

PROS AND CONS

Pros: well-written, unique and distinct characters, intricate plot, creative asides

Cons: minor plot holes in the last 20%, final twisty twist was unnecessary and felt forced, Laughton's OCD was inconsistent throughout the book