An intriguing mystery with a captivating investigation…
Dark Corners is a modern crime thriller following the skilled podcaster, Rachel Krall.
SYNOPSIS
Terence Bailey is about to be released from prison for breaking and entering, though investigators have long suspected him in the murders of six women. As his freedom approaches, Bailey gets a surprise visit from Maddison Logan, a hot, young influencer with a huge social media following. Hours later, Maddison disappears, and police suspect she’s been kidnapped—or worse. Is Maddison’s disappearance connected to her visit to Bailey? Why was she visiting him in the first place?
When they hit a wall in the investigation, the FBI reluctantly asks for Rachel’s help in finding the missing influencer. Maddison seems only to exist on social media; she has no family, no friends, and other than in her posts, most people have never seen her. Who is she, really? Using a fake Instagram account, Rachel Krall goes undercover to BuzzCon, a popular influencer conference, where she discovers a world of fierce rivalry that may have turned lethal.
When police find the body of a woman with a tattoo of a snake eating its tail, the FBI must consider a chilling possibility: Bailey has an accomplice on the outside and a dangerous obsession with influencers, including Rachel Krell herself. Suddenly a target of a monster hiding in plain sight, Rachel is forced to confront the very real dangers that lurk in the dark corners of the internet.
Rachel Krall, the true crime podcaster star of Megan Goldin’s acclaimed Night Swim returns to search for a popular social media influencer who disappeared after visiting a suspected serial killer.
The Sequel to a Thrilling Series…
First, something I didn’t know when I read this was that Dark Corners is actually book two of a series. I know from reading it myself that you don’t need to read book one first to be able to follow along. I was never confused, and honestly had no idea I was reading the second book of the series until I went to get the plot description for my YouTube video and saw the words “Rachel Krall 2” above the title. I got my copy from my book of the month subscription and my TBR list is so backed up that if I saw it was a sequel, I had long forgotten that. The lucky thing about investigative fiction is that although it’s the same main character, it’s a new mystery with new suspects and I can confidently say it doesn’t tie into book one.
Rachel Krall…
This book follows Rachel Krall, an investigative journalist turned true crime podcast star as she tries to find out what happened to the missing influencer, Madison Logan. Something I really enjoyed about this book is that it felt realistic. Someone in law enforcement might beg to differ, but the thing is I don’t care if a book ends up being true to police protocol as long as it is logical. Actually I would prefer a story that doesn’t tell people exactly what law enforcement uses to find criminal’s. I’ve never liked the idea of ending up with a guidebook on what a criminal should avoid, so if it’s made up protocol, even better. Anyway, I’m getting off topic.
In the story Rachel Krall is by no means law enforcement. Yes, she was an investigative journalist, but unless you have some kind of background in law enforcement, it seems unlikely an FBI agent would call her for help. Which is what I thought this book handled really well. Because despite what the description says, the FBI does not ask her for help, not with the case at least. Rachel is there for one reason, her name was linked to the man in prison and the missing influencer who visited him. But once they feel she isn’t needed, they want her gone.
The thing I loved about the character Rachel was that she was never the annoying character I’m used to reading in crime books. The ones that say that stupid line I wish didn’t exist, “I can take care of myself”. I die a little inside every time a female character says that, especially when it’s followed by the immediate proof that they in fact cannot take care of themselves. When the FBI tries to send her home, she doesn’t immediately go into dangerous situations. Granted, any involvement in the case is putting herself in danger, she plays it smart. She doesn’t try to pretend she’s a detective, but uses her skills to learn more about the missing pieces by going undercover.
MORE DETAILS
Word Count (rounded)~ ?
Page Count: 352
Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Psychological
Three Perspectives…
The book has something which I noticed is really common in crime thrillers lately, and that is to have chapters that follow the killer. From the beginning it’s made clear that the FBI believes Terrence Bailey is responsible for the death’s of the women, but they think he didn’t act alone and had an accomplice. Which is why a few of the chapter’s follow that accomplice and make it very clear that he’s a killer. It was told in a way that leaves the question of how this man is linked to Terrence and the missing influencer.
A Clear Story…
I’m a stickler for logic in a story. I need a clear explanation on how point A got to point B and was happy when by the end of the book, everything made absolute sense. I wasn’t left with questions or plot holes, and I never wished for more. The story doesn’t pretend that every strange occurrence is directly related to each other. There are clues introduced that end up being nothing more than a coincidence, while others end up being connected in ways I never expected. That’s what made this book wonderful to me, that it wasn’t clean, but it was not flawed.
My Rating…
Mystery is something I love, but I’ve always felt that once you know what happens, it’s never the same. I guess the same can be said about any genre, but with crime thrillers where the story is 100% about the mystery, it’s a little tough to reread which is why my rating for this book is three stars because I loved it, but I doubt I would reread it again. Now if it turned into a mini series, I would probably rewatch it once or twice.
The next book I’ll be reading is “A Wilderness of Stars” by Shea Earnshaw, a mystery story.
Jasmin De Anda 