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Down the Darkest Road (Oak Knoll #3)

3.95 of 5 stars 3.95 · rating details · 3,967 ratings · 446 reviews

Once upon a time I had the perfect family. I had the perfect husband. I had the perfect children. I had the perfect life in the perfect home. And then, as in all fairy tales, evil came into our lives and destroyed us.

Four years after the unsolved disappearance of her sixteen-year-old daughter, Lauren Lawton is the only one still chasing the ghosts of her perfect Santa B...more

Hardcover, 416 pages

Published December 27th 2011 by Dutton Adult (first published 2011)

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Dec 27, 2011 Amanda rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery

My least favorite book of the series. This book barely included any of the original characters. The main mystery was never really solved and the perpetrator in the novel were easily determined and stated from the beginning. I was let down with this book of the series.

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Dec 15, 2012 Vivisection rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: so-much-testosterone, psychological-mysteries, guilty-pleasures, grocery-store-impulse-purchase, lifetime-novels

I'm not gonna lie. Since I got an eReader, I rarely grab books at the grocery store any more. My cart is pristine and guiltless except for the fact that I don't always buy organic. And I buy a lot of booze.

I make my shameful purchases in the dark at two a.m. and then record them here for the world to see. So I feel badly about adding this to grocery store impulse purchase shelf EXCEPT that I saw this at Ralph's and knew to download it. So it counts.

For the record: NO SPINSTERS DIE. NO SLUTTY G...more

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Sep 06, 2012 Linda rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, mystery-thriller

Down the Darkest Road, another solid Tami Hoag offering, brings us back to the Oak Knoll setting of Deeper Than the Dead and Secrets to the Grave. Lauren Lawton has just moved to Oak Knoll with her daughter Leah, intending to exorcise the ghost of their past. Four years prior, Lawton's elder daughter Leslie was abducted and is still missing, and two years after the abduction, Lawton's husband died as well. However, Lauren and Leah's new life in Oak Knoll provides no relief -- on the contrary, it...more Down the Darkest Road, another solid Tami Hoag offering, brings us back to the Oak Knoll setting of Deeper Than the Dead and Secrets to the Grave. Lauren Lawton has just moved to Oak Knoll with her daughter Leah, intending to exorcise the ghost of their past. Four years prior, Lawton's elder daughter Leslie was abducted and is still missing, and two years after the abduction, Lawton's husband died as well. However, Lauren and Leah's new life in Oak Knoll provides no relief -- on the contrary, it seems the prime suspect in Leslie's abduction has followed them, and their lives continue to intersect in threatening ways.

I always enjoy a Tami Hoag thriller, and this one is no exception. In addition to the newcomers, we revisit some of the characters we've come to know from earlier in this series, with detective Tony Mendez playing a central role this time, and it's nice to get a bit more into his history and personality. Lauren Lawton turns out to be a difficult character for the Sheriff's office to deal with, impeding as much as cooperating in their efforts to help her, and raising doubt in the guilt of the prime suspect. Lauren is one of the more intriguing characters I've seen in a Tami Hoag book -- the reader's sympathies, which would automatically lie with the victim, are tested by Lauren's behavior, as her own efforts to keep her daughter's case alive sometimes sabotage the work of the police on her behalf.

It's a few years after our first visit to Oak Knoll, but we're still in the world of the past (late 80s/early 90s) especially in the realm of law enforcement. The author seems to delight in bringing in the period details, and as an artifact from that period myself, I certainly appreciate a lot of the cultural references throughout the story. However, Hoag still hasn't managed to fully get over that annoying habit of placing impossible foreknowledge in the mouths of her law enforcement characters: Someday, DNA technology will advance to the point where testing a sample doesn't destroy it, but we're not there yet. It's much better here than in the first installment of the series, but it's still annoying.

Overall, it rates a solid "I liked it". Entertaining, a quick read, plausible-enough characters, a good way to spend a long holiday weekend. (less)

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Aug 31, 2012 Lizzie Hayes rated it 4 of 5 stars

‘Down the Darkest Road’ by Tami Hoag
Published by Orion 19 January 2012. ISBN: 978-0-75289-898-8

Lauren Lawton happily married living in Santa Barbara with two children has the perfect life until the disappearance of her sixteen year-old daughter Lesley. In the space of one afternoon Lauren’s life turns from joy to nightmare. And four years on the nightmare continues – her daughter never found and her husband dead, Lauren lives in anger and fear with her younger daughter Leah now fifteen, just the...more ‘Down the Darkest Road’ by Tami Hoag
Published by Orion 19 January 2012. ISBN: 978-0-75289-898-8

Lauren Lawton happily married living in Santa Barbara with two children has the perfect life until the disappearance of her sixteen year-old daughter Lesley. In the space of one afternoon Lauren’s life turns from joy to nightmare. And four years on the nightmare continues – her daughter never found and her husband dead, Lauren lives in anger and fear with her younger daughter Leah now fifteen, just the age that Lesley was when she disappeared.

Although Lesley has never been found, Lauren knows who took her daughter but without a single piece of evidence the police are powerless to do anything and despite their pity for Laurens plight her constant haranguing of the police department have worn thin their patience. Now Lauren has moved to Oak Knoil but has the man who took her daughter also moved to Oak Knoil – is he stalking her?

Aptly titled it is indeed a dark road that Lauren is travelling, accompanied by her daughter Leah who should as a teenager be enjoying life but who lives daily in the shadow of her missing elder sister and her mother’s total preoccupation with bringing to justice the abductor of her daughter. Whilst the loss of a child, particularly in these circumstances is unbelievably horrific, this story illustrates how a tragic event can consume one to the detriment of everything and everyone.

Written in first person journal form by Lauren as she seeks to gain catharsis by recording the events as she remembers them, and by multiple third person points of view, we gain a picture of the lives of the people touched by this terrible event. The overriding emotion is one of powerlessness as Lauren tries to protect her remaining child, but at every turn she seems to be the one in the wrong as she reacts in panic when matters begin to move beyond her control. Not a comfortable book, but one that will remain with you long after you have turned the last page, as one cannot help but wonder ‘what would I do in these circumstances’?

Highly recommended.
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Lizzie Hayes
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Jul 30, 2012 Joy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Four years after the unsolved disappearance of her sixteen-year-old daughter, Lauren Lawton is the only one still chasing the ghosts of her perfect Santa Barbara life. The world has given her daughter up for dead. Her husband ended his own life in the aftermath. Even Lauren's younger daughter is desperate to find what's left of the childhood she hasn't been allowed to have.
Lauren knows exactly who took her oldest child, but there is not a shred of evidence against the man. Even as he stalks her...more

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Jun 27, 2012 Debbie rated it 5 of 5 stars

It's been quite awhile since I've read anything by Hoag...but a rainy day prompted me to pick this one up and give it a try...it captured me from page 1 and I finished it up in less than 24 hours! Quite an edge of the seat read, with some frustrations along the way, both for the reader and the characters!

Lauren Lawton of Santa Barbara, CA once thought she had the perfect family...her husband Lance, Lauren and their girls...Leslie and Leah. Lauren's words describe the scene best "and then, as in...more

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Apr 22, 2012 Gloria Feit rated it 3 of 5 stars

Unlike the prior two entries in the Oak Knoll series, this plot is somewhat obvious and predictable. Not that one can envision the story any differently. What unites the Oak Knoll series are three characters, profiler Vince Leone, his wife Anne, and detective Tony Mendez. But this novel really is about the Lawton family, and especially the mother, Lauren.

The Lawtons were a happy family of four living in Santa Barbara, that is, until the 16-year-old daughter was abducted and never returned. A sus...more

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Jan 20, 2012 Bill Garrison rated it 2 of 5 stars

DOWN THE DARKEST ROAD is Tami Hoag's third thriller in the Oak Knoll Series. The novel is set in the late 1980s long before the internet, cell phones, DNA testing and other advances made it easier to catch criminals. This book is by far the worst in the series. While the characters were interesting, it felt like it never got out of the first act. The first 350 pages seemed to be just a set up for the final 75 page finale. Some might claim the suspense was more psychological. I'm not claiming tha...more

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Jan 20, 2012 Debbie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Lauren Lawton is between a rock and a hard place, she knows who kidnapped her oldest daughter Leslie four years ago when this nightmare she now calls her life started but she just can’t prove it and to the dismay of all the police departments she’s managed to alienate she now gets to add one more under her belt as she’s just moved to picturesque Oak Knoll, but then she’s never dealt with a cop like Tony Mendez before. Tony not only sympathizes but he’s inclined to believe Lauren too, but there’s...more Lauren Lawton is between a rock and a hard place, she knows who kidnapped her oldest daughter Leslie four years ago when this nightmare she now calls her life started but she just can’t prove it and to the dismay of all the police departments she’s managed to alienate she now gets to add one more under her belt as she’s just moved to picturesque Oak Knoll, but then she’s never dealt with a cop like Tony Mendez before. Tony not only sympathizes but he’s inclined to believe Lauren too, but there’s that pesky thing called evidence that seems to be missing. Tony has another ally in detective Danni Tanner from Santa Barbra the scene of the original crime. Plus there are crimes in Oak Knoll that puzzle them until a pattern emerges. Tony and Tanner combine efforts and with a few friends find facts and pieces that seem to keep being missing in action and that’s not the least of their worries either when the would be villain is constantly pulling the victim card to the cops. Lauren now has one daughter left to protect and she’s vowed to do whatever it takes to do just that. Will she be able to get justice for the daughter that’s gone and protect the daughter that is still here, will she find the light at the end of the tunnel or will she continue “Down The Darkest Road”.

Ms. Hoag gives us a tale that could easily be taken from the front pages of any news paper, it has all the elements that a crime drama fan wants in a storyline, twisting turning scenes, a narrative that will make the hair stand up on the back of your neck and unforgettable characters whom fans will remember some from her previous Oak Knoll novels and new ones that will delight and terrorize in equal measures. The spotlight shines on her co-protagonist Lauren Lawton, who is evangelist for her missing daughter and avenging angel for the one left behind, but there’s also a noir-ish feeling about her too and that makes her even more attractive to readers. Tony Mendez we who have read the previous two novels are quite familiar with, like and respect and his unsuspecting cohort Danni is as entertaining as she is frustrating. Plus we get to catch up on other characters lives we’ve read about before too.
Tami Hoag has been a favorite author of mine ever since I picked up my first book in my second life as a reader. She like many other women authors started writing romance and she went on to romantic suspense where some of the scariest villains I ever read about came from her imagination, she now writes these genre thrillers that absolutely thrill me and other fans as well. If you like Lisa Gardner, John Sandford, Andrew Gross or Nelson DeMille you will love this author. If you are a fan of crime drama or thrillers this is one you’ll not be able to put down.

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Jan 15, 2012 Gail Cooke rated it 4 of 5 stars

Intense, gritty, terrifying - the latest in Tami Hoag’s Oak Knoll series is a page-turner par excellence. The time setting is the late 1980s - 90s when tracing by DNA had not been fully developed and information via computer was not as available as it is now. Hence, tracing a criminal was a much more challenging task for law enforcement officers. In this case, not only tracing but proving guilt.

We’re introduced to the story through the eyes of Lauren Lawton who writes, “Once upon a time I had...more Intense, gritty, terrifying - the latest in Tami Hoag’s Oak Knoll series is a page-turner par excellence. The time setting is the late 1980s - 90s when tracing by DNA had not been fully developed and information via computer was not as available as it is now. Hence, tracing a criminal was a much more challenging task for law enforcement officers. In this case, not only tracing but proving guilt.

We’re introduced to the story through the eyes of Lauren Lawton who writes, “Once upon a time I had the perfect family. I had the perfect husband: Handsome, loving, successful. I had the perfect children: Leslie and Leah - beautiful, brilliant, precious girls. I had the perfect life in the perfect home, in the perfect place......And then, as in all fairy tales, evil came into our lives and destroyed us.”

Evil came in the person of a barbarous, vile individual, Roland Ballencoa. Four years ago he had abducted Leslie or the police were pretty certain he had - but they could not prove it. Not too long after the girl’s abduction Lauren’s husband drove off a bridge; it was thought a suicide due to the stress and guilt of being unable to protect his daughter.

Bent on revenge and driven to the point of exhaustion Lauren takes Leah and moves to Oak Knoll hoping to put at least a small part of their tragic past behind them. That is not be for she soon finds that Ballencoa is also in Oak Knoll, stalking mother and daughter. It’s all an insidious game to him, watching, frightening, taking pictures with his camera.

Lauren is reluctant to go to the police as they’ve not helped her in the past, but considered her a royal pain in the neck for constantly pushing them to arrest Ballencoa, to find Leslie. But Ballencoa is a wily beast, evidently never breaking the law, but silently stalking. Lauren is sickened to realize that in her case the person believed to be a criminal actually has more legal rights than she does. Eventually, she does turn to Detective Tony Menendez who believes her but can see no way to help her.

Hoag has woven a gripping tale, written in brief chapters, almost staccato-like, quick as a bullet which leaves the reader sometimes gasping, always turning pages. Down The Darkest Road is epic suspense seasoned with ravaged emotions and cliff-hanger scenes. Strong medicine so keep all the houselights on.

- Gail Cooke(less)

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Jan 13, 2012 Teresa Medeiros rated it 5 of 5 stars

I know better than to start a Tami Hoag book when I want to accomplish anything else because once I started this one, I didn't want to put it down. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. It was so nice to revisit characters from her former novels like Vince and Anne Leone and Mendez. What Tami does best is incorporate emotion into her stories. (Probably a gift from her years as a bestselling romance author.) Even when she's writing police procedure, it's never JUST procedure. You feel every emot...more

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Dec 18, 2011 Susan rated it 3 of 5 stars

Set in 1990, Tami Hoag’s newest page-turner, Down the Darkest Road, is the third in a series that began with Deeper than the Dead in which the See-No-Evil killer terrorized Oak Knoll, CA. In Secrets to the Grave, a killing is solved with the aid of the new science of criminal profiling.

Down the Darkest Road offers no spate of new murders and no new science. Instead, the story focuses on Laura and Leah Lawton, the suffering they share, and Laura’s quest for justice. Laura says, “Once upon a time...more Set in 1990, Tami Hoag’s newest page-turner, Down the Darkest Road, is the third in a series that began with Deeper than the Dead in which the See-No-Evil killer terrorized Oak Knoll, CA. In Secrets to the Grave, a killing is solved with the aid of the new science of criminal profiling.

Down the Darkest Road offers no spate of new murders and no new science. Instead, the story focuses on Laura and Leah Lawton, the suffering they share, and Laura’s quest for justice. Laura says, “Once upon a time I had the perfect family. I had the perfect husband: handsome, loving, successful. I had the perfect children: Leslie and Leah—beautiful, brilliant, precious girls. I had the perfect life in the perfect home in the perfect place.”

But then Laura’s sixteen-year-old daughter, Leslie, was kidnapped. Laura knows who did it, but the police had no evidence for an arrest. Two years later, in 1988, her husband committed suicide, and Laura and her younger daughter Leah were left alone to cope.

Laura knows that the kidnapper, Roland Ballencoa, lives in Oak Knoll, and she has spent four fruitless years trying to get the police to arrest him. Laura refuses to give up, however, and her obsessive quest for justice blinds her to her younger daughter’s suffering. At a time when they should be grieving and healing together, Leslie and Laura suffer separately. The pain never lessens, and they dream and cry alone.

Leah dreads the dark and the knowledge that with sleep will come dreams of her sister, a sister she loves but also hates for all the space she takes up in her mother’s head. Her conflicted feelings leave her feeling fragile and helpless.

She wanted desperately to cry, but not alone. Crying alone was one of the most miserable depressing things she knew. It only left her feeling even more empty and abandoned than she already felt, as if the earth had opened up a huge black hole for her to fall into all by herself.

The tears welled up and balanced on the ridge of Leah’s eyelashes. She felt so alone. She didn’t want to go to her mother . . . but she got out of bed just same and went out into the hall. . . . She stopped, holding her breath. She didn’t want to knock. She didn’t want to say anything. She was trying so hard not to cry that her eyes felt like they would explode. What she really wished was that her mom would have come to her bedroom to check on her and realized that she needed a hug. But that hadn’t happened. It hardly ever did.

A fresh bitter feeling of despair pressed down on her as she heard her mother crying on the other side of the door. Leah could tell she was trying not to make much noise as she did it, just as Leah was trying not to make noise as the tears spilled down her cheeks.

In Down the Darkest Road, Tami Hoag tells a compelling and heart-wrenching tale of loss and love and justice.
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Jan 12, 2013 Shannon rated it 4 of 5 stars

3.5 stars
It's really bizarre to think that I would have been the same age as the character of Leah when this book took place (around 1990).
This is the third book in the Oak Knoll series, taking place after Deeper Than the Dead and Secrets to the Grave. We meet some of the previous characters, but you won't be lost if you're a newbie.
Lauren and her daughter Leah move to a new town, four years after the oldest daughter Leslie was abducted, never to be found. Lauren's husband died of apparent suici...more

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Dec 19, 2011 Vivian rated it 3 of 5 stars

Lauren Lawton is a woman on the edge. Her eldest daughter has been missing for four years, presumed abducted and dead. Her husband died in an automobile accident two years ago. She clings to life for the sake of her younger daughter Leah and strives to obtain justice for her missing daughter Leslie in Down the Darkest Road by Tami Hoag.

Life isn't always fair and the justice system isn't always just. Lauren knows this better than others because the man she knows is responsible for her daughter's...more Lauren Lawton is a woman on the edge. Her eldest daughter has been missing for four years, presumed abducted and dead. Her husband died in an automobile accident two years ago. She clings to life for the sake of her younger daughter Leah and strives to obtain justice for her missing daughter Leslie in Down the Darkest Road by Tami Hoag.

Life isn't always fair and the justice system isn't always just. Lauren knows this better than others because the man she knows is responsible for her daughter's disappearance has never been arrested or tried for his crime, Roland Ballencoa. To make matters worse he had actually been able to get a restraining order placed against her. All Lauren wants is to know what happened to her daughter and receive justice. If the system won't give it to her then she may need to get it for herself.

Leah's life has been hell for the past four years since her older sister Leslie disappeared. Leah isn't allowed to be home alone or even go anywhere alone. The only thing good to come out of their recent move to a new town is she is allowed to work at a horse farm a few days a week. This work brings a new friend into her life, Wendy. Finally she has someone that understands the trauma her family has experienced and doesn't consider her a freak because of it. But Leah knows that she isn't dealing with the situation in a good way, and maybe she is a freak after all.

Detective Mendez feels sympathy for Ms. Lawton. He knows that there may be little the system can actually do against the suspect in her daughter's case simply because there is no evidence. His sympathy is the impetus needed for him to delve a little deeper into Leslie's disappearance. The more he digs, the more he understands Lauren's feelings. Will he be able to find evidence to provide the abduction before things get out of hand?

Down the Darkest Road is a glimpse into the mind of a family torn apart by tragedy. Lauren is so focused on getting vengeance, if not justice, for her missing daughter Leslie that she neglects the needs of her remaining child, Leah. Leah has a lot of hostility against her missing sister and against her deceased father. Unfortunately she doesn't really have an outlet for these feelings and can't disclose them to her mother. Ms. Hoag even provides glimpses into the motivation and mind of the prime suspect, Roland Ballencoa. Much of the action centers on a cat-and-mouse like game between Lauren and Ballencoa, and even Ballencoa and law enforcement. This back and forth builds the tension and kept me on edge during most of the book. Down the Darkest Road was a quick read but it is by no means an easy read due to the psychological tension and underlying darkness associated with child abduction and sexual predators. This may not be a book for everyone but if you want to read a good suspense/psychological thriller, this may well be the book for you.
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Nov 26, 2012 Lee rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-gr-challenge

Lauren and Leah Lawton are excellent characters who are on the edge. They have been through the most tragic ordeal imaginable, victims of a predator who has more rights than they do. Completely frustrated and barely holding on to sanity, Lauren does what she feel she must because no one else can help her. With out a shred of evidence, the man who stole her life walks free as a bird.

The author did a great job writing Lauren, she is a strong woman who is doing her best in a tough situation. You c...more

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Jan 25, 2012 Pat rated it 4 of 5 stars

I had a hard time when starting this novel, seemed like so much sadness, anger, and fear. I am a staunch Tami Hoag fan, so I wouldn't give it up. WOW. It picks up and never stops until the last page. We meet Lauren a very sad, broken, fearful woman, who has lost her daughter. Her husband's suicide haunts her, and she has such fear for her youngest child, it is like living in a jail cell. She feels such anger at her deceased husband, I felt, rightly so, since he took the cowards way out and left...more

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Feb 10, 2012 Barb rated it 5 of 5 stars

Tami Hoag can weave a tale! Lauren Lawton's daughter disappeared and has given up hope that anyone but herself will be the one to catch the culprit. The only thing that may really tie the man she believes is guilty is a tiny drop of blood in his van. The story takes place when DNA was just starting to evolve but they know more sophisticated testing is on the horizon, so rather than using up the blood, they are waiting until it can be "stretched" for more testing. Lauren really believes that this...more

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Mar 21, 2012 Karen & Gerard rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery, relationships, suspense, teens

A killer is loose; who and when will he strike next? This is an awesome book--Tami has done it again! Although there is not much action in this book, the suspense keeps building resulting in a fantastic ending! The writing is very good! Great job, Tami! Can't wait for her next book!
(Gerard's review)

Down The Darkest Road by Tami Hoag is about how the criminals’ rights are protected to the extent they actually walk around freely because there is no evidence that they did anything wrong. In this bo...more

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Mar 20, 2012 Sandra Valente rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: have-read, drama, thriller-suspense, 2012

I absolutely loved this book even though it was completely heart wrenching. It's been a while since I have read anything by Tami Hoag and I felt like slapping myself for it, needless to say that I shall get my backside into gear. I've now realised that there were two books prior to this one with the first being 'Deeper than the Dead' and the second, 'Secrets to the Grave'. All I know is that I'm thankful it can be read as a stand alone. Vince Leone, an FBI agent and Tony Mendez, a detective - wh...more I absolutely loved this book even though it was completely heart wrenching. It's been a while since I have read anything by Tami Hoag and I felt like slapping myself for it, needless to say that I shall get my backside into gear. I've now realised that there were two books prior to this one with the first being 'Deeper than the Dead' and the second, 'Secrets to the Grave'. All I know is that I'm thankful it can be read as a stand alone. Vince Leone, an FBI agent and Tony Mendez, a detective - who is one of the main characters in 'Down the Darkest Road', make appearances in all three.

I know I won't be the only one who will read or has read this book, to think or even try to imagine what it must be like for parents to lose a child, in any manner. This book affected me in more ways than one although the premise was different with the end result being the same. I personally haven't experienced the loss of a child and hope to God that I never do, but my neighbours have. Having offered as much support as is humanly possible in a situation such as this, I have seen and experienced first hand how acts of pure unnecessary evil can and continues to leave a gaping hole and permanent scar within a family. Some families, however much they try, aren't strong enough or don't have a support structure much as Lauren Lawton didn't have. My neighbours, bless them, had a support structure and are still holding strong - as strong as is God's will. So, as I sit here with tears in my eyes, I can only but smile up at Ryan, letting him know he will never be forgotten - for he hasn't really left, he is only but in the next room.

Lauren Lawton's family is torn apart when her 16 year old daughter, Leslie, goes missing. Not only do Lauren and Lance lose a daughter, but 12 year old Leah, loses a sister. Lance, unable to bear the loss tragically ends his life by driving off a mountain. As far as Lauren and Leah, separately, are concerned, he took the easy way out. Although she will always love him, Lauren can never forgive him for this. She knows who is responsible for Leslie's disappearance, but nothing could and still cannot be proven. Technology as we know it today, was still unavailable in the 80's. She knows it's Roland Ballencoa, she's told the police it's him, but without proof he can't be charged. He's good though, and has had years of practice. He leaves nothing to chance making it that much more difficult to pin anything, however minute on him.

Deciding that she and Leah need a change from Santa Barbara, they move to Oak Knoll, a town with a high college prescence, and stay at the girls' godparents' house. At the supermarket one day Lauren thinks she sees Ballencoa - could be her imagination, maybe she's just gone crazy or is exhausted beyond belief - and rams her trolley into that of Tony Mendez. Rushing out in order to see if it's really Ballencoa, with Tony Mendez in pursuit and unbeknowst to Lauren, she proceeds to drive dangerously. Tony stops her, not really for the way she was driving, but for the fact that what he witnessed inside of the supermarket, peaked his curiosity. After speaking with Lauren, he decides to learn more about the case, and if predator of young girls has indeed moved into his town.

Periodically throughout the story, Lauren is writing her own book relating to the events that led to the night in question including her feelings of helplessness and ignorance as a mother to Leah. The parts that really got my hackels up in this story were those between Lauren and Leah. Lauren gave birth to two daughters, not one. Yes, Leslie is missing, has been missing for four years, but, Leah is still very much alive. She needs her mother, now probably more than ever. She has suffered as much of a tragedy and true to teenage angst, drugs or self mutilation are ways to stop the pain, if only for a while. Covering pain with pain is never a solution. It's truly a story that has many facets which both left me sympathising with Lauren, or wanting to shake some sense in to her at the same time in regards to her Leah.

A cast of interesting characters are mixed and varied in this story with one of my favourites being Danni Tanner. She comes equipped with quite a foul mouth, yet despite this, she didn't come across as simply disgusting. Sometimes, it's necessary. The vibe I got throughout the book eludes to a love interest in a future book between Danni and Tony, although at the beginning I somehow thought it would be Lauren and Tony. Tony Mendez is one of the good guys and it always shows.

As for the perp, that he unfortunately got away with what he was doing for so many years is disgusting. That a thing such as him had the gall to lay complaints against the police for harrassment and Lauren for stalking, had to be the most frustrating thing ever and although technology has evolved in leaps and bounds, its still very much evident in today's society that a lot of criminals can and do get away with most things whether due to insufficent evidence, or proper evidence gathering at crime scenes. Innocent until proven guilty is all well and good, but what about those that are truly guilty, yet are free to roam, further committing heinous crime after heinous crime, until such time as they are proven guilty? This said, it's a catch 22, caught between a rock and a hard place. I would hate for an innocent person to be locked up as if they are guilty until such time as they are proven innocent. Tough situation, one always open for debate (and no, I am not inviting such a debate) and it has happened, numerous times.

A book worth my time, and yours.(less)

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Jan 08, 2012 Sally rated it 5 of 5 stars

Four years ago, 16-year old Leslie Lawton was abducted. She was never found and no one was charged with her disappearance, however, one man, Roland Ballencoa, was a person of interest. Because DNA testing was still years away, with no evidence to tie Ballencoa to Leslie, Ballencoa walked.

But Lauren, Leslie's mother, knew in her heart that Roland Ballencoa had taken her daughter. After losing her husband in a car accident two years later and unable to remain in the family home with all the once h

...more

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Mar 07, 2013 Kaylee rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: kidnapping, mystery, suspense, crime, serial-killers-murder

Actual Rating: 3.5 Stars

It has been four years since Leslie Lawton vanished on her way home from a softball game. Four years and not a trace of her has been found. Her mother, Lauren, while still not giving up hope that her daughter’s disappearance will one day be solved, has packed up younger daughter, Leah, and moved to Oak Knoll, California. Unfortunately, the man Lauren suspects abducted Leslie has also recently moved to town, and his sights might be set on Leah.

I didn’t realize this was pa...more Actual Rating: 3.5 Stars

It has been four years since Leslie Lawton vanished on her way home from a softball game. Four years and not a trace of her has been found. Her mother, Lauren, while still not giving up hope that her daughter’s disappearance will one day be solved, has packed up younger daughter, Leah, and moved to Oak Knoll, California. Unfortunately, the man Lauren suspects abducted Leslie has also recently moved to town, and his sights might be set on Leah.

I didn’t realize this was part of a series when I bought this on impulse from Target. It looked interesting, and I usually enjoy a quick thrill at the hands of Tami Hoag. Still, if you haven’t read either Deeper than the Dead or Secrets to the Grave, do so before reading this one. Otherwise, prepare to have the endings for both spoiled for you. I haven’t read either one, and despite the fact that they both sound like fun reads, I probably won’t for a while because I know how they end. I wish Hoag hadn’t done that, because it ruins the first two books in the series for me. I also didn’t like that these spoilers were revealed more than once, by three separate characters. I may have been able to forget it, but they had to bring it up two more times.

I really wanted to like Lauren but I just couldn’t bring myself to do so. I understand that she’s grieving both the loss of her eldest daughter and her husband, but she does have a young daughter to parent, and she’s not doing the greatest job. She doesn’t take care of herself, doesn’t eat, and drinks all the time. She’s paranoid and doesn’t let Leah go hardly anywhere – which is understandable, but hey, Leah is a teenager, let her have some time to be a kid. Also, the twist revelation about Lauren’s intentions in Oak Knoll really angered me, they could have left that part out and I would have been able to like her character a little.

I felt I could relate a bit to Leah, the youngest daughter. I know what it’s like growing up and being the good child, the one who follows all the rules and tries not to make waves; the one who tries not to burden other people with her problems because they’re suffering from the same things. I’ve been there, and it’s rough. It made me so angry that Lauren was so wrapped up in herself and her own pain that she didn’t even notice that her daughter was suffering too. Leah was living in the shadow of an older sibling who wasn’t even around anymore.

I did like the characters that are apparently part of the ongoing series – Tony Mendez and Ann Leone. Both provided as much support and aid to Lauren as they could, especially when the creep who took Leslie begins harassing her at her home in Oak Knoll. With no proof that he was on her property, there’s nothing the police can do to help her, but Mendez looks into her case anyway, and winds up working with Detective Danni Tanner – my favorite female character out of the whole book. She’s confident, tough, quick with the wit, and has a healthy appetite. I enjoyed her immensely and hope to see her in future entries in the Oak Knoll series.

This novel does differ from Hoag’s usual style slightly because we know the identity of the bad guy the entire time. Normally, Hoag will have the reader see a little bit of the story through the villain’s eyes, but we never know who that villain is until he or she reveals him/herself. Here, we know his identity, and we see the disgusting things he does and thinks about. He’s also incredibly frustrating because he knows that both Lauren and the police are onto him, and he plays cat-and-mouse games with them, hiding behind his rights when they try to retaliate. I wanted to reach into the book and kill him myself.

The twist toward the end caught me a little by surprise, but not entirely. The events of the climax are pretty action packed, and I’ve got to say, Hoag doesn’t let her heroines go down without a fight. These ladies are fierce, even when backed into a corner, and there seems to be no way out, they still give it everything they’ve got.

Overall, this is a fun, simple read. If you don’t want the first two books in the Oak Knoll series ruined for you, I would read the series in order. This one gives away the endings to the prior two. While Lauren was a frustrating character, the rest of the colorful cast made up for it. Worth a look if you’re into mystery/thrillers with interesting plot lines and characters who won’t take pain l with interesting plot lines and characters who won’t take things laying down.
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Dec 18, 2011 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: e-books, netgalley, read-2011, suspense-thriller

NetGalley kindly sent this uncorrected proof of this book.

This is the story of Lauren Lawton and her struggle to find her eldest daughter Lesley who has been missing for the last four years.

Since Lesley disappearance, the Lawton's family sufferance never ended, on the contrary. Lauren's husband wasn't able to cope with the lost of his dearest daughter and decided to end his life in a car accident.

In order to make a change in scenery, Lauren and her younger daughter Leah decided to move from San...more

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Apr 27, 2012 Shannon rated it 5 of 5 stars

My pulse quickened reading this book! The third book in the Oak Knoll series, Down the Darkest Road is a pulse-pounding tale of mother's quest to bring justice to the man who abducted her daughter. Roland Ballencoa is guilty, but he has managed to escape arrest from a lack of evidence. He is smart and cunning, but his cunning can't escape the vengeance of a mother who has lost her child.

This book has less gore than the previous two books yet Hoag still manages to create a villian that will have...more

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Mar 01, 2013 Teresa Smith rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-read

I really enjoy Tami Hoag's writing. This was one of her best, in my opinion. It grabbed me into the story right away and the characters, some from her other two Oak Knoll books, continued to develop. The storyline was somewhat heartbreaking in that the main character's oldest daughter was abducted and she's been fighting for the search for the past 4 years. The man she's positive abducted her was never charged due to lack of evidence. The story continues with her fight and focus on this man in a...more

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Jan 01, 2012 Corinne rated it 5 of 5 stars

A big fan of Hoag, I was delighted to read about the characters from Deeper than the dead. Set in Santa Barbara, we get to touch base again with Vince and Anne Leone and Tony Mendez.

An unspeakable crime; the disappearance of a teenage girl, a person of interest, and a family is destroyed. Written in two styles, one as the mother of the girl writes her feelings down, and the other as the story unfolds. Lauren knows who took her daughter, but there is nothing the police can do about it. Set in 19...more

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Nov 23, 2011 Elayne rated it 4 of 5 stars

A sixteen year old girl is abducted and her family will never be the same again. Four years later, Lauren Lawton and her daughter Leah are struggling to survive, not only the abduction of Lesley, Lauren's eldest daughter and Leah's older sister, but the death of Lance Lawton, beloved husband and father respectively, two years previously.
When Tony Mendez becomes involved in the case after bumping into Lauren and hearing her tale, things soon begin to escalate, when its realised the man suspected...more

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Mar 21, 2013 Mayine rated it 4 of 5 stars

By chance I had downloaded #1 in the series... then was amazed to find #2 at my library... and now...#3? I gulped it down so quickly - the author builds her characters well, not to speak of the suspense. I too wish she had drawn in some of the characters from the previous two books (although they pop up, they are not as interwoven into the plot), except for Tony, whom we get to know even more - and frankly can't wait to read about more in the next book!

Overall, a very good read for Hoag fans! Y...more

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Mar 17, 2012 Ellie Mendez rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is the first book I read from the Oak Knoll series and glancing at other reviews some say this is the worst....if it is, then Wow! The others must be excellent, because I couldn't stop reading Down the Darkest Road. You can really feel the impotence, the obsession, the rage and all the bad feelings left in the wake of a child abduction.

It's easy to understand how a mother can become so obsessed to a point where she not only neglects, but endangers the life of the only child she has left. W...more

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Mar 31, 2012 Beth Cutwright rated it 3 of 5 stars

This was one of the darkest books I’ve read in quite some time. Sometimes I wonder about my fascination with this type of book and t.v. show. I must be very depraved myself to read and watch this stuff. The book centers around the Lawton family, Lance and Lauren, the parents, and two daughters, Leslie and Leah, aged four years apart. That in itself was confusing trying to keep straight who we were reading about. When Leslie turned a rebellious sixteen, she was abducted by a pervert. Two years la...more

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Feb 26, 2013 Patty Pasley rated it 2 of 5 stars

Down the Darkest Road is a gripping, fast paced novel of a mother desperately trying to protect the daughter she in now raising alone and solve the mystery of the daughter who has been missing for the past four years.

Lauren Lawton has isolated herself in her own grief. Following the unsolved disappearance of her teenage daughter and death of her husband, her family has been split in half. Leaving Lauren and her youngest daughter behind to pick up the pieces and find hope.

Tami Hoag creates comp...more

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About Tami Hoag

Tami Hoag is the #1 international bestselling author of thirty books. Renowned for combining thrilling plots with character-driven suspense, Hoag first hit the New York Times bestseller list with Night Sins, and each of her books since has been a bestseller. She lives in Southern California and Florida.

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“Anybody can be a victim, and anybody can flog themselves. Big fucking deal. But you put one foot on a ladder and climb to the next rung. Then you've done something. Then you've made a difference. And then what happens matters. Otherwise, it's just old news, and nobody wants to hear about it.” — 3 people liked it

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Down the Darkest Road (Oak Knoll #3)

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