Meg Gardiner | THE DARK CORNERS OF THE NIGHT

Plot (via Goodreads):

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?

Review:

The UNSUB series by Meg Gardiner is one of my favorite series and the newest release in this series, The Dark Corners of the Night just may be the creepiest one yet. I squealed when I opened the box and had my copy finally in my hands. For a book I had been trying to chase down since July, the day was finally here and was that finished copy ever beautiful. Now, I found the first UNSUB book to be a terrifying tale reminiscent of James Patterson and featuring a protagonist that was so sharp and enjoyable to read that I was begging for a second book before even finishing the first. With the second UNSUB book, I was declaring it (during a brutally violent and harrowing scene in a sorority house) one of my favorite series ever and was praying that it would never end. With this one, I was (and still am) reliving and  relishing in all of the scare-tastic moments that solidify Meg Gardiner as one of the most talented and sensational crime fiction authors that we have.

The plot to this one was immersive and creepy with one hell of an opener. The reader is reunited with some familiar faces as well as two antagonists that not only get under your skin, but make you so thankful that this series is a work of fiction. The new case with this story definitely made my skin crawl more than the previous two. For one, I am terrified of an intruder in my house and I have been since a very young age, so this one definitely hit me hard and scared the hell out of me. Gardiner's way of writing a crime fiction novel is really the perfect blend of police procedural, thriller, mystery, and major suspense. Now this one definitely had more slower police procedural moments than the last two, but with so many really insanely eerie moments sprinkled throughout, I don't know if I could've handled more. I loved the setting with this one, I loved the case, and I loved being reunited with Caitlin.

As the novel progresses, Gardiner really kicked up the pace with some dark and intense scenes reminiscent of the movies Se7en and The Silence of the Lambs. Between Caitlins personal life and the Midnight Man, I was flying through these pages and completely immersing myself in this wonderful story. As the story began to dwindle down into a shocking and brutal finale with a terrific twist, I was dumbfounded with how this one ended. I mean, to be that scared reading and to envision this novel as you read it is not only such a treat, but a tremendous compliment to how strong Gardiner's writing is. For someone who used to hate trying to even think of reading a series, Gardiner has a grip on me that is so tight that I am praying there are so many more additions to this series to come.

Special thanks to Blackstone Publishing for this copy in exchange for my honest review.

Rating: 5/5