Title: Into the Darkness
Author: Sibel Hodge
Narrator: Simon Vance, Charlotte Cole, Shaun Grindell
Published: July 2018, Brilliance Audio
Length: 8 hours 1 minute
Source: Publisher
Summary:
The Missing…
In a hidden basement, eighteen-year-old Toni is held captive and
no one can hear her screams. She’s been abducted after investigating
unspeakable things in the darkest corners of the Internet.
The Vigilante…
Fearing the worst, Toni’s mother turns to ex-SAS operative
Mitchell to help find her missing daughter. And when Mitchell discovers
Toni’s fate rests in the hands of pure evil, he races against the clock
to find Toni and bring her out alive. But even that might not be enough
to save her.
The Detective…
DS Warren Carter is looking forward to a new job and a simpler
life. But when he’s called in to investigate the brutal murder of a
seemingly normal couple, he becomes entangled in lives that are anything
but simple. And as he digs deeper, he uncovers a crime more twisted
than he could ever have imagined.
Into the Darkness is the chilling new thriller from the bestselling author of Duplicity and Beneath the Surface.
My thoughts: There are a few authors that I go to only read their books as audio and Sibel Hodge is definitely one as her books translate so well on audio…there’s something about a really good, dark thriller that always works well on audio and so I always listen to these types of books.
This book is dark, thrilling and at times claustrophobic. It exposes the terror of the dark web and really had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. It’s told by three people and each part was equally compelling, which isn’t always the case when you have three different narrators.
I loved that each section had it’s own identity. The Missing section was creepy, chilling and claustrophobic and you really end up fearing for Toni. She is locked in that basement and it is terrifying. Is she going to get out in time? The Detective section is slow and methodical…everything Carter does is by the book, for the most part. The Vigilante section is fast moving and action packed. Mitchell is always on the go, always needing to be doing something. He’s not one for sitting still. Having these sections set up this way really set each one apart from the other and made them each all the more believable as well. It gave them all their own individuality.
The story is intricate and layered and we slowly get all the pieces to put together what is going on. At first it seems as if there are separate stories going on, but eventually you start to see how they are linked, as little threads start to unravel and come apart, tying them together. It’s not apparent at first and it takes a while to get there, but it’s a complicated plot that winds it way together effortlessly.
This story is addicting and the short chapters just add to that. With the tension mounting and the twists and turns coming at you, this story takes on a frantic pace. It’s brilliantly crafted and kept me glued to the story from start to finish, but is certainly not for the faint of heart.
Audio thoughts: I loved that this was narrated by three different narrators – and each one did a fantastic job with their own section. The only narrator I was familiar with going into the book was Simon Vance, who I adore, but the others – Charlotte Cole and Shaun Grindell – both held their own for this book. It’s a dark, disturbing book and each of these narrators brought their A game. It was definitely a chilling audio experience and I recommend listening to it if you get a chance!
