Review: Two Days Gone by Randall Silvas

Title:Two Days Gone

Author:Randall Silvas

Series:Ryan DeMarco Mystery, #1

Published:January 2017, Sourcebooks Landmark

Format:ARC E–book, 400 pages

Source:Netgalley

A literary page-turner
about a beloved college professor accused of murdering his entire
family, and one small-town cop’s dangerous search for answers.

Thomas
Huston, a beloved professor and bestselling author, is something of a
local hero in the small Pennsylvania college town where he lives and
teaches. So when Huston’s wife and children are found brutally murdered
in their home, the community reacts with shock and anger. Huston has
also mysteriously disappeared, and suddenly, the town celebrity is
suspect number one.

Sergeant Ryan DeMarco has secrets of his own,
but he can’t believe that a man he admired, a man he had considered a
friend, could be capable of such a crime. Hoping to glean clues about
Huston’s mind-set, DeMarco delves into the professor’s notes on his
novel-in-progress. Soon, DeMarco doesn’t know who to trust—and the more
he uncovers about Huston’s secret life, the more treacherous his search
becomes.

My thoughts: Every once in a while Netgalley has some “Read Now” options that catch my eye – well, this one certainly did and I’m so glad that I took a chance on it. This one kept me hooked from start to finish – though not necessarily in the way you might think!

This is a twisted, crazy book! It’s dark and strange – definitely one of the crazier psychological thrillers I’ve read in a while, which is a good thing, because it was so very different and is definitely set apart from all the others. It almost comes across as if two writers wrote it at times…though that’s not the case. You have two different points of view from time to time, and let me tell you, when Huston is telling us the story – it gets a little nuts! But, I loved it! I loved the writer’s perspective, getting inside his head and all the literary references. Which was so very different from DeMarco’s chapters – so very to the point and on target, very straight-forward. I think this was my favorite part of the story – the unlikely pairing of these two characters telling the story – it’s a bit disjointed at times, but I think it’s brilliant!

Both men are flawed, troubled, emotionally damaged men. They have their demons, particulary DeMarco, and that makes them so very real and believable. The despair Huston feels is palpable, and DeMarco just can’t quite believe his friend would be guilty of such a savage act, but nevertheless demands to be put in charge of the case. This is tough for DeMarco, but it shows his strength and determination.

There are quite a few twists and turns in this book and some that left me quite speechless. I was desperately trying to figure out just what happened to Huston’s family – was he or was he not involved in their deaths – and the answer is definitely not what I was expecting. Bravo Mr. Silvas!!! And on top of that, to find out that this is not the last we have seen of Ryan DeMarco – I’m one very happy reader 🙂