I would recommend this to any KR fans, but also anyone who wants a fast paced thriller to get lost in. Both books feature an interstellar polity of alien races, who ultimately resolve to exterminate the human race, before a previously unknown power saves the day.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Pan Macmillan via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of Into the Dark by Fiona Cummins for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions. BUT I DIGRESS. What hinges the entire novel and which I, as a hearing impaired person would love to hugely applaud, is Karen's portrayal of deaf/hearing impaired characters. She places them front and center of the plot, the entire story arc revolves around 14 year old Michael who is hearing impaired and his brother, 5 year old Joseph. Escaping from an abusive and brutal home, Michael accidentally witnesses his step father being murdered by a mountainous bald man. No great loss to the world-seriously, this man was the worst type of human-but when his mother starts taking it out on him for his step father's disappearance, and his bruises are noticed by Joe's baseball coach, the amazing Diesel Kennedy, things take a turn for the worse. Diesel, is a dead ringer for the man he saw killing his step father. I read When I Was Ten by Fiona Cummins last year and rated it one of my top books of the year, so was excited to give this one a go... and knew to expect it to be dark. And dark it is, but I also was a little disappointed. AND THEN there is the small matter of 7 dismembered bodies being dragged out of the local river, some with signs of being tortured prior to them being killed. Who was responsible and why? Loving the sense of mystery and the secretive nuance of its storytelling. On a flawed friendship (what a serious game of trust!), toxic relationships, greed, revenge and a prolonged bitterness from an abuse and assaultment. Descriptive murder scenes that might be both chilling and brutal, predictable ending yet still I admire how devious and clever the plan goes till the end. That unforeseen epilogue was so cunning! 3.8 stars to this!

Success!

The Neighbour (my first read by Fiona Cummins) was one of my top reads two years ago, so it thrills me to pieces that Into the Dark lived up to that one. I will definitely be bumping When I Was Ten and The Collector series up my tbr.

The former focuses on characters originating from Henriad England; the latter's prologue is set in the same era. There’s a bit happening in this novel, but not to the detriment of the plot. The book opens with Julianne arriving at Piper’s for their regular run… only to find no one home and signs of the family having departed – perhaps against their will – suddenly. Dani and Diesel - I've been waiting for this one for a long time and Karen Rose did not disappoint. No one and I mean no one can craft a thriller like Karen Rose. Layers upon layers and lots of bodies make a maze of a tale and at the heart are two innocent children who Diesel and Danni have to protect. We get a round up of all the Cincinnati Series characters and It was great to see them in action along with Dani and Diesel. I suspect that this may be the last Cincinnati Series book and it was fantastic. There are 2 main characters Piper and Julianne who are best friends. Piper is the one who goes missing . The story centres around both their families. Most of the characters are dark and evil. The timeline in this book hops from before the disappearance in each chapter to after the disappearance.In the Into the Dark book, there is an overview of all the parts with a letter and number combination for reference, and I recommend writing these at the bottom of the modules so that you can set up the missions more easily. Gallowdark terrain comparison & measurements

The detective: DS Saul Anguish, brilliant but with a dark past, treads the narrow line between light and shade. The story is about a family that disappears and there is evidence of foul play at their house. Have they been kidnapped or murdered. We all have things about ourselves we’re not proud of. Like killing men. And wanting to do it again and again.” Overall still a fairly gripping read, and I might have marked it higher had my expectations not been so high. In Romania, U.S. Marine Stephen Buchevsky, whose family died in the initial strikes, joins a band of fighters led by one Mircea Basarab, who are more than meets the eye. In space, Fleet Commander Thikair ruefully concludes that human nature compels survivors of Shongairi atrocities to avenge their loved ones at all costs. Unlike other known species, humans have no natural "submission" instinct to superior powers; altruism and sacrifice of self to safeguard the innocent are, to the aliens, marks of "insanity."THE DETECTIVE: DS Saul Anguish, brilliant but with a dark past, treads the narrow line between light and shade. Question everything - when you think you have this one figured out… think again I know I thought a few time pffft I see what’s happened here… nope… WRONG!!! It was great I love that bring on those twists - twist me up! Her novels, I'M WATCHING YOU and SILENT SCREAM, received the Romance Writers of America's RITA award for Best Romantic Suspense for 2005 and 2011. Five of her other books have been RITA finalists. To date, her books have been translated into twenty-four languages.

My heart is still pounding, my mind reeling. I want to jump up and run around fist pumping, yelling 'hell, yes!' I was intrigued for the plot after reading its blurb; a case of missing family with a three-words found scrawling by blood on the mirror at their house and a brilliant detective in charge who was said to have a dark past. Quite twisty yet so intensely written for me; the first chapter already giving me a solid hint that making me wanting to know further about the case. Michael Rowland has been terrorized and abused in his own home for some time, but one night, Into the Dark is the new dark and gripping crime thriller from Fiona Cummins about revenge, greed, ambition and the true cost of friendship.And ho boy, that Diesel...who couldn't fall for a man who knits to relieve stress? This is , I think, the first time I have read a book where a man has been knitting and I am so here for it ! The way that other characters throughout Karen's Cincinatti universe, are woven through the story with potted histories,makes you want to dive into her other novels. She is absolutely superb at what she does , there is a reason that she is a multi-million selling author, and this book, for me, is peak Rose. The story opens with Julianne arriving at her best friend, Piper’s house for their regular morning run. Piper Holden is forty years old, she’s a wealthy, privileged, mother of twin teenagers, and is married to a financial advisor named Grey. Julianne Hillier is near in age to Piper and the two have been best friends since grade school. Julianne is also a mother of two and she is married to husband, Quiller. Into the Dark by Fiona Cummins is a delicious psychological thriller with more twists than a cheese twistie! The story is meticulously plotted and there’s never a dull moment. Into the Dark is the fifth instalment in the Cincinnati series and is the most gripping and absorbing so far. There is no problem with jumping into the series in this book although you will probably not want to miss the preceding book as this is romantic suspense at its best. The plot follows two brothers, Michael and Joseph, who happen to be there to witness a man being bundled into the boot of a car never to be seen again; they then find themselves in grave danger by the very same person as they have seen the face of a dangerous vigilante who does not intend to be disturbed from his disturbing "duty". Away from the primary plotline, the developing will they-won't they relationship between Diesel Kennedy and our feisty heroine Dr Dani Novak continues. Following a criminal carrying out his own system of vigilante justice, we see just how warped different people viewing the exact same event can become.