Friday, February 21, 2020

Julie's Review: The Dark Corners of the Night

Author: Meg Gardiner
Series: UNSUB #3
Publication Date: February 18, 2020
Publisher: Blackstone
Pages: 352
Obtained: Library
Genre:  Psychological Thriller
Rating: 5/5
Bottom Line: Scary stuff but no one writes it like Meg
Grab, Just get it at the library, or Remove from your TBR list? Grab

Summary: I am the legion of the night …He appears in the darkness like a ghost, made of shadows and fear—the Midnight Man. He comes for the parents but leaves the children alive, tiny witnesses to unspeakable horror. The bedroom communities of Los Angeles are gripped with dread, and the attacks are escalating. Still reeling from her best friend’s close call in a bombing six months ago, FBI behavioral analyst Caitlin Hendrix has come to Los Angeles to assist in the Midnight Man investigation and do what she does best—hunt a serial killer. Her work is what keeps her going, but something about this UNSUB—unknown subject—doesn’t sit right. She soon realizes that this case will test not only her skills but also her dedication, for within the heart of a killer lives a secret that mirrors Caitlin’s own past. Hesitancy is not an option, but will she be able to do what must be done if the time comes? ~amazon.com

Review: Honestly, Meg Gardiner has never let me down in her writing. She writes strong, brave, fierce female characters that stick with you long after you have closed that back cover. Caitlin Hendrix is no different. She's a badass FBI Profiler and allows herself to get into the minds of the evil that she encounters to understand how to stop them. That isn't to say that Caitlin doesn't have her vulnerabilities or issues because she does but that makes her even more real.

The FBI unit is called in from DC to assist the LAPD with the Midnight Man's seemingly serial killings. The  Midnight Man is terrorizing families and making them feel unsafe in their homes and neighborhoods. As he continues to strike, the public wants to know what the police are doing to catch him. This is where Caitlin and the rest of her teams' skills come into play. They have the technology to help hone into the Midnight Man's area, which will assist them in the profile build.

As Caitlin starts to build the profile she doesn't necessarily like where her hunches and skills lead her. It will change the game in how they hunt and capture him.


What I love about Ms. Gardiner's writing is that she scares the crap out of me by using psychology. It's not horror or blood and guts. It's using how our minds work and how they can fail us that is truly scary. What a human can do to another human, is disturbing and fascinating. It is fascinating to figure out why they do what they do, in hopes of stopping others or in figuring out how to treat mental illness.

This is the 3rd in her fantastic UNSUB series and I highly recommend you start with the first one. You don't need to but it will help you understand the references throughout the novel. Plus you'll get more Sean Rawlins and trust me that's a good thing.

Extra shout out to the art department for this freaky cover! It really captures the terror you feel reading the novel!



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