P.J. Tracy, bestselling author of the Monkeewrench Series, has begun an entirely new series set in a very noir-feeling Los Angeles. This is not the Los Angeles of movie stars however, this is the Los Angeles of waitresses and bartenders, of detectives and therapists and, of course, murderers.
This is a very well crafted and well told mystery, but it is by no means a quick or light read. Heavy themes of revenge and obsession are woven throughout. Tracy introduces the character of Sam Easton in the opening pages of the story, and the reader is immediately confronted with the PTSD symptoms Sam is suffering through, related to his military service. There are dense, heavy scenes throughout as Sam suffers nightmares and other symptoms, and confronts all the ways these have, and continue to, effect his life, his marriage, and his relationships. Tracy has created Sam as a likeable character, and it is easy for the reader to sympathise with Sam’s situation and truly care about him and his well-being.
Margaret Nolan, an LAPD detective on the rise, is our other focal point throughout the novel as she and her partner are attempting to solve a murder that will lead them to cross paths with Sam. The deceased is the sometimes-abusive, sometimes-boyfriend, of Sam’s friend Melody, so both Melody and Sam will naturally fall under the microscope of suspicion. Margaret had a brother who also suffered from PTSD following his military service, so she views Sam much differently, and with a much more open mind than her partner. Scenes between Sam and Margaret are almost heartbreakingly painful at times as we see her reminded of her brother and his struggles.
Tracy does an outstanding job of creating characters that the reader feels connected to, but she also lays out a mystery that is both fascinating and unpredictable. With unexpected twists and turns throughout, Tracy carries the reader along on a captivating, but painful journey through the grim underbelly of a city where not everyone is part of the glitzy and glamorous side of Los Angeles.
Deep Into The Dark is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore.
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Synopsis | Goodreads
Deep into the Dark features up-and-coming LAPD Detective Margaret Nolan
Sam Easton – a true survivor – is home from Afghanistan, trying to rebuild a life in his hometown of LA. Separated from his wife, bartending and therapy sessions are what occupy his days and nights. When friend and colleague Melody Traeger is beaten by her boyfriend, she turns to Sam for help. When the boyfriend turns up dead the next day, a hard case like Sam is the perfect suspect.
But LAPD Detective Margaret Nolan, whose brother recently died serving overseas, is sympathetic to Sam’s troubles, and can’t quite see him as a killer. She’s more interested in the secrets Melody might be keeping and the developments in another murder case on the other side of town.
