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trisha_thomas's review against another edition
4.0
"How can you make sense of a person who confuses suffering and love, with such devastating results?"
This was absolutely phenomenal. It's a deeply moving story about a very good FBI agent named Elsa. She is the lead expert on finding kids - ones that go missing with no leads, no information and no explanation. She gets into the mind of the kids, the stalker and she finds them. But she's haunted. Being present for so many parents pain of having their children missing is draining for her.
She is also losing her father. She's struggling to find time to sit with him while he enters hospice care and being assigned a new case. Elsa and her sister, Tara, tag team spending time with him while Elsa also rushes off to chase the leads of the case. All the while, Elsa spends time remembering and struggling with her childhood.
This story absolutely sucked me in. The characters were believable and interesting. Even though a lot of the things held until the end weren't surprising, I did like the path through the story to get to the reveals. The crime was well done and well paced and kept me wondering how it would all work out. I liked getting to know the detectives, the agents and the families as Elsa works the case. I was absolutely sucked in and look forward to following this author and reading more of their work!
This was absolutely phenomenal. It's a deeply moving story about a very good FBI agent named Elsa. She is the lead expert on finding kids - ones that go missing with no leads, no information and no explanation. She gets into the mind of the kids, the stalker and she finds them. But she's haunted. Being present for so many parents pain of having their children missing is draining for her.
She is also losing her father. She's struggling to find time to sit with him while he enters hospice care and being assigned a new case. Elsa and her sister, Tara, tag team spending time with him while Elsa also rushes off to chase the leads of the case. All the while, Elsa spends time remembering and struggling with her childhood.
This story absolutely sucked me in. The characters were believable and interesting. Even though a lot of the things held until the end weren't surprising, I did like the path through the story to get to the reveals. The crime was well done and well paced and kept me wondering how it would all work out. I liked getting to know the detectives, the agents and the families as Elsa works the case. I was absolutely sucked in and look forward to following this author and reading more of their work!
marshaskrypuch's review against another edition
5.0
I'm not a fan of police procedurals and/or series thrillers in general as I find them formulaic, predictable and going for the cheap thrill. This novel transcended all of that. The main character is complex enough to carry the reader through a number of novels and I like the development of the secondary characters who are also fleshed and unique enough to carry a reader's interest beyond a single book.
The plot itself was not extraordinary, but it didn't have to be, because the author made me feel.
Thank you, Netgalley, for the e-review copy of this novel.
The plot itself was not extraordinary, but it didn't have to be, because the author made me feel.
Thank you, Netgalley, for the e-review copy of this novel.
frannieman's review against another edition
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping
Moderate: Child abuse, Cancer, Emotional abuse, and Grief
shermac's review against another edition
3.0
This book took me a while to get in to but never actually gripped me. I enjoyed the back story of the main character but the 'twist' at the end didn't surprise me at all. The search for the missing girl was predictable and the kidnapper obvious. I'd like to know more about the characters but not sure I'll read the next one.
kbranfield's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 stars.
The first installment in The Searchers series, A Map of the Dark by Karen Ellis is a spellbinding mystery about an abducted teen.
FBI Agent Elsa Myers is in the midst of a heartrending family situation when her boss calls her in to aid Queens Detective Alexei "Lex" Cole with an urgent case with a missing teenager . Seventeen year old Ruby Haverstack disappeared one night after work and has not been seen since. She is not a troubled teen nor is it likely she ran away which makes her disappearance all the more suspicious. Elsa quickly discovers the case has not been handled quite as carefully as it should have been and valuable time has been lost in those crucial first hours of the investigation. Elsa is well aware she has a tendency to be a little too controlling but she finds it difficult to trust that Lex can handle the investigation since this is his first major case since transferring from Vice. Despite her doubts, she and Lex work well together but will they find Ruby before it is too late?
Elsa is a veteran agent with several investigations under her belt but with everything going in her personal life, she is having a very hard time maintaining her objectivity and focus. She is a complex character who has not quite come to terms with her dysfunctional childhood which is front and center in her thoughts as works on Ruby's case. Elsa is her own worst critic as she castigates herself for missing clues that no one, not even she, could have recognized without the information that is uncovered later in the investigation.
Once Elsa and Lex know the kidnapper's identity, their investigation really gains traction. Although they quickly uncover other possible victims, they are at a loss as to a motive for the crimes. When an unexpected discovery provides a viable place to look for the Ruby, the case takes a shockingly personal turn for Elsa. With even more urgency to locate the victims, she, Lex and the other members of the investigative team feverishly search for the kidnapper's lair.
With the chapters weaving back and forth in time between events from Elsa's past and the hunt for Ruby, A Map of the Dark is a compelling police procedural. Elsa is a deeply flawed but incredibly sympathetic lead protagonist who, when partnered with Lex, finds someone who rather unnervingly slips past her formidable defenses. This first installment in Karen Ellis's The Searchers series is a multi-layered crime drama that I highly recommend to fans of the genre.
The first installment in The Searchers series, A Map of the Dark by Karen Ellis is a spellbinding mystery about an abducted teen.
FBI Agent Elsa Myers is in the midst of a heartrending family situation when her boss calls her in to aid Queens Detective Alexei "Lex" Cole with an urgent case with a missing teenager . Seventeen year old Ruby Haverstack disappeared one night after work and has not been seen since. She is not a troubled teen nor is it likely she ran away which makes her disappearance all the more suspicious. Elsa quickly discovers the case has not been handled quite as carefully as it should have been and valuable time has been lost in those crucial first hours of the investigation. Elsa is well aware she has a tendency to be a little too controlling but she finds it difficult to trust that Lex can handle the investigation since this is his first major case since transferring from Vice. Despite her doubts, she and Lex work well together but will they find Ruby before it is too late?
Elsa is a veteran agent with several investigations under her belt but with everything going in her personal life, she is having a very hard time maintaining her objectivity and focus. She is a complex character who has not quite come to terms with her dysfunctional childhood which is front and center in her thoughts as works on Ruby's case. Elsa is her own worst critic as she castigates herself for missing clues that no one, not even she, could have recognized without the information that is uncovered later in the investigation.
Once Elsa and Lex know the kidnapper's identity, their investigation really gains traction. Although they quickly uncover other possible victims, they are at a loss as to a motive for the crimes. When an unexpected discovery provides a viable place to look for the Ruby, the case takes a shockingly personal turn for Elsa. With even more urgency to locate the victims, she, Lex and the other members of the investigative team feverishly search for the kidnapper's lair.
With the chapters weaving back and forth in time between events from Elsa's past and the hunt for Ruby, A Map of the Dark is a compelling police procedural. Elsa is a deeply flawed but incredibly sympathetic lead protagonist who, when partnered with Lex, finds someone who rather unnervingly slips past her formidable defenses. This first installment in Karen Ellis's The Searchers series is a multi-layered crime drama that I highly recommend to fans of the genre.
hbardin's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Self harm, Physical abuse, Cancer, Death of parent, Child abuse, and Blood
kyra_rouse's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
bookaddict88's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I really enjoyed this book. It was slow at times, but overall a decent pace. This book is equally sad and hopeful (imo). I was constantly rooting for the fmc and hope to read more about Elsa. This book definitely kept me surprised with all the twists up until the last page. Great read overall.
lisaeirene's review against another edition
3.0
This was an interesting book about secrets and mental illness. The main character, Elsa, was interesting and I wanted to know more about her and her life and how she became an FBI agent. The mystery itself seemed to be the background, though.
beardysetgo's review against another edition
4.0
This is a spoiler-free review
Read on In The Sheets
It has been a while! A couple of month hiatus for both my book reviews and my podcast, which will also be back in the near future. For the unexpected delay, I apologize, but I'm coming back with an awesome Mystery / Crime / Thriller.
A Map of the Dark is the first book in a new series called The Searchers which follows Elsa, an FBI agent and leading expert on missing children cases.
While dealing with her own personal issues, Elsa is called onto a case because "she's the best in business" and gets drawn into search for a missing teen that soon grows out of control.
I'll admit this sounds like a billion other books I've read in the past, we've definitely all seen this before. Several of the twists I saw coming a mile a way, but it was an effortless read that drew me out of a reading slump, and I could not put it down. It even still managed to surprise me a few times, I did not see the final twist coming.
I think Elsa is a delightful and relatable character (though there is a frozen reference I definitely rolled my eyes at). She's a woman with a lot of depth who I grew to adore and I'm excited to see where her series goes. If you're into crime thrillers, this is a must read with a ton of potential.
Read on In The Sheets
It has been a while! A couple of month hiatus for both my book reviews and my podcast, which will also be back in the near future. For the unexpected delay, I apologize, but I'm coming back with an awesome Mystery / Crime / Thriller.
A Map of the Dark is the first book in a new series called The Searchers which follows Elsa, an FBI agent and leading expert on missing children cases.
While dealing with her own personal issues, Elsa is called onto a case because "she's the best in business" and gets drawn into search for a missing teen that soon grows out of control.
I'll admit this sounds like a billion other books I've read in the past, we've definitely all seen this before. Several of the twists I saw coming a mile a way, but it was an effortless read that drew me out of a reading slump, and I could not put it down. It even still managed to surprise me a few times, I did not see the final twist coming.
I think Elsa is a delightful and relatable character (though there is a frozen reference I definitely rolled my eyes at). She's a woman with a lot of depth who I grew to adore and I'm excited to see where her series goes. If you're into crime thrillers, this is a must read with a ton of potential.