All the Dark Places
Ratings3
Average rating2.7
15
Ratings3
Average rating2.7
A savage murder rocks a quiet Massachusetts suburb, revealing the dark secrets at the center of a group of friends and setting two women – one with a traumatic past, the other a Boston police detective – on a hunt for truth in this stylish debut thriller for fans of Megan Miranda and Shari Lapena... Snow falls softly outside Molly Bradley’s home on a frigid January night. Inside, half a dozen close friends are gathered to celebrate the fortieth birthday of Molly’s psychologist husband, Jay. Candlelight gleams against dark wood, wine flows, and the house rings with laughter. Everybody loves Jay, Molly most of all. Yet next morning, Molly discovers Jay dead on the floor of his office, his throat brutally slashed. After decades working with the Boston PD, Detective Rita Myers has grown accustomed to the banality of evil—the murders that make no sense beyond bad luck or a tragic brush with the worst of humanity. But Jay Bradley’s murder isn’t random, or a mere crime of opportunity. Rita is convinced that someone in the couple’s small circle killed him. Someone who was celebrating with them that night. Devastated, Molly tries to make sense of her husband’s death. Jay was her rock, the only person who really understood the nightmare she lived through long ago. He knew the horrors she’s kept hidden even from her friends. But shocking revelations are making her question if Jay was all he seemed to be—and whether someone else knows her past too. And until Molly figures out who she can really trust, she won’t be able to stop herself becoming the next target . . .
Reviews with the most likes.
It's always super fun reading books set locally to me (yes, even thrillers). Unfortunately, the setting wound up being the most enjoyable part for me.
The morning after Jay's birthday celebration, his wife Molly finds him murdered in his office. Enter Rita, a longtime detective with honed skills that leads her to believe the killer is someone close to the couple. As if losing her husband this way wasn't enough, Molly must confront her traumatic past without the comfort of her beloved husband. In doing so, she begins to question her life with him.
I enjoyed the plot of this though it felt as though it could be smoothed out a little bit. There was a lot of potential with the characters but the way it was written left a lot on the surface despite how much their pasts were intertwined. I felt like I was muddling through it rather than feeling any suspense. It picked up at the end, but by then I was ready to move on.
2.75 ⭐️'s
Overall an interesting read, but there was plenty about it I wasn't a fan of.
Many unnecessary details that I assume were an attempt to make the characters feel more "real" but I felt myself getting annoyed while reading through some of the chapters.
Biggest "ick" for me, is the lack of warning about the book containing scenes depicting the violent assault of a child (age 6) & d**th of a child (age 4)
I think I would actually read a book by this author again, given the chance, as I didn't completely hate it - the way the details of the story were slowly woven together actually worked quite well.
Also, I think detective Rita Myers was probably the most interesting character in the book. I didn't care much for most of the other characters though & there were a LOT to keep track of.
