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Pitch Black

by Susan Crandall (Goodreads Author)

3.72 of 5 stars 3.72 · rating details · 149 ratings · 31 reviews

Journalist Madison Wade decides to move to Philadelphia when one of her articles on violence in the city hits too close to home. Madison and her fourteen-year-old adopted son, Ethan, take refuge in Buckeye, a small town in eastern Tennessee where her father had grown up. Despite the tranquility, Madison and Ethan feel like outsiders. But Gabe Wyatt, the local sheriff, is d...more

Paperback, 400 pages

Published June 1st 2008 by Forever

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Jul 02, 2008 Gina rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: own, mystery-detective-journalism, romantic-suspense, thriller

Pretty Good Suspense!

I thought the book was great! Lots of suspense and wondering ‘whodunnit’. Mind you, I had an idea of who it was about halfway through the book, and even though my hunch was right, it was still good.

I liked the characters. Maddie is a strong woman with a mind of her own, goes along with her own personal drum and does the best she can with a teen who’s been by himself too long. She manages to reach into Ethan in a way I don’t think many can, with her ‘no bull’ pact she makes w...more

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Jul 07, 2008 Julie (jjmachshev) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2008-reads, queuemyreview

“Pitch Black” is a very well-written and intricate murder mystery with a sexy Sheriff thrown in for good measure. Susan Crandall has crafted an unsettling and frightening look at what might lurk behind appearances in a small Southern town in America.

Madison moved from Philly to get her newly adopted son, Ethan, away from the streets where he once lived alone and unwanted. She and Ethan are having some problems adjusting to Southern small-town ways, but sexy Sheriff Gabe seems to be more than wi...more

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Jul 02, 2008 LibraryLass rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2008

Loved this one! Great mix of mystery and romance. I thought all the characters were great but my favourite was Ethan.
I really liked how Gabe already had and knew his feelings for Maddie and how the author showed quite well the torn feelings he had between his duty as sheriff and his budding romance with Maddie.
Only downer for me was Maddie, who had in the past been in some really tough situations, was a bit wimpy with knowing how to deal with Ethan. Having said that, the author did give plausi...more

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Jul 13, 2012 Sarah added it · review of another edition

Pitch Black stellt ganz klar den Thrill Anteil in den Vordergrund und beinhaltet trotz der Eingruppierung, der Verlags, in die Kathegorie Romantic Thrill eher weniger Romantischen Szenen. Zwar ist schnell klar, dass Sheriff Gabe Wyatt & die zugezogenene Maddie aufeinander stehen und sich mehr als nur sympatisch sind, doch haben die beiden von Anfang an eher einen distanzieren Umgang miteinander. Das liegt vor allem daran, dass nach dem Mord Maddies Adoptivsohn Ethan verdächtig wird - was vor...more
Pitch Black stellt ganz klar den Thrill Anteil in den Vordergrund und beinhaltet trotz der Eingruppierung, der Verlags, in die Kathegorie Romantic Thrill eher weniger Romantischen Szenen. Zwar ist schnell klar, dass Sheriff Gabe Wyatt & die zugezogenene Maddie aufeinander stehen und sich mehr als nur sympatisch sind, doch haben die beiden von Anfang an eher einen distanzieren Umgang miteinander. Das liegt vor allem daran, dass nach dem Mord Maddies Adoptivsohn Ethan verdächtig wird - was vor allem an seiner Vergangenheit als Straßenkind liegt - und Gabe nun eben in besagtem Fall ermitteln muss und kann sich einfach nicht leisten wegen persönlicher Gegebenheiten die Fakten aus den Augen zu verlieren.

Die Ermittlungen und der Verlauf dessen waren zwar interessant gestaltet und die Gedankengänge wirklich nachvollziehbar, doch hatte ich irgendwann das Gefühl die Handlungen würden sich wiederholen und das Buch käme einfach nicht ganz voran. Wobei ich in Gabes Überlegung nicht nachvollziehen konnte, wieso er einfach eine bestimmte Person nicht verdächtigt hat, ich fand das einfach als Fehler seinerseits einfach jemanden zu vergessen, obwohl er ja so angestrengt jede kleinste Kleinigkeit beachtet hat. Ohne zu spoilern kann ich hier leider nicht mehr verraten.

Ethan tat mir die meiste Zeit vor allem leid: Sein bester Freund ist nach dem Mord an seinem Stiefvater in psychatrischer Behandlung, er selbst ist Hauptverdächtiger in diesem Mord und hat eine komplette Kleinstadt im Nacken sitzen die scheinbar von seiner Schuld überzeugt sind. Das Gefühl eine Last für Maddie zu sein verstärkt sich in ihm immer mehr und ich konnte gut mitfühlen wie er zu diesem Schluss kam. Dabei hatte er es als Kind auf der Straße schon nicht leicht.

Alles in allem handelt es sich hierbei um einen durchaus interesanten Thriller in dessen Vordergrund die Aufklärung eines Mordes steht. Auch wenn das ganze für die Protagonisten Maddie und Gabe nicht immer ganz ungefährlich bleibt sind sie am Ende doch froh wenigstens einander Halt geben zu können, auch wenn es nicht zu großen Gefühlsduseleien kommt.

Den nächsten Band der Autorin, Dark Red, werde ich wohl erstmal nicht lesen, denn mir fehlten schon hier einfach ein bisschen die Gefühle. Das liegt aber einfach daran, dass ich persönlich nicht auf fast pure Thriller stehe. Ich brauche einfach eine etwas impulsivere Liebesgeschichte!(less)

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Oct 28, 2010 Ns rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

On a suspenseful level, Pitch Black is an excellent read. There are plenty of tense, gripping and unexpected moments found in the plot. I'll admit I figured out the suspect early on but in no means did I lose interest in the murder mystery. In fact it gave me a better opportunity to really focus on the characters and plot development and anticipate the twist and turn of events.

Madison (Maddie) Wade and her new adopted teenage son, Ethan move from big city Philadelphia to the small Southern town...more On a suspenseful level, Pitch Black is an excellent read. There are plenty of tense, gripping and unexpected moments found in the plot. I'll admit I figured out the suspect early on but in no means did I lose interest in the murder mystery. In fact it gave me a better opportunity to really focus on the characters and plot development and anticipate the twist and turn of events.

Madison (Maddie) Wade and her new adopted teenage son, Ethan move from big city Philadelphia to the small Southern town of Buckeye. Their hope is a fresh start away from the troubles of the big city. The community is far from welcoming, instead the close-knit town is wary and suspicious of the new outsiders. When a camping trip that Ethan goes on ends with a suspicious death that is later found to be murder, the community is more than ready to condemn Ethan. Only his mother believes in his innocence and that belief does not sit well with the residents, as well as the evidence. This is a fact, Sheriff Gabe Wyatt is much too aware off, as he struggles not to allow his growing feelings for Maddie to cloud his judgement and duty.

As more murders and suspicious deaths come to light, evidence continue to point towards Ethan. Somehow all this is connected to the camping trip murder and the killer is intent on tying up lose ends. Maddie and Gabe find themselves questioning their trust in one another and turning to each other for answers and protection. If Ethan isn't the killer? Who is?

With such a great suspenseful plot, it's almost easy to overlook the flaw in character development but it was enough to distinguish the book from a good to great read. Maddie and Gabe each have their own strengths and weaknesses. She is strong, frank, and has an investigative mind. It is something that appeals to Gabe's gentle and protective nature who is committed to his duty and serving his community. The problem is they never quite develop, or overcome their weaknesses which is their mistrust of each other. They simply stall in this aspect, even though much of their conflicts are the results of that lack of trust. At the end the trust issue is never resolved, only that the murders are solved and they move on.

Another thing I found lacking was Gabe's history, which is mentioned all too briefly but nothing comes off it. Specifically his minimal interaction with his father and brother allude to a defect in communication and yet it goes unaddressed. The story would have been much stronger to have focused on this part and given us a sense of Gabe's character. The bit of of Gabe's personal life seems to come out of nowhere and likewise goes nowhere.

What I did appreciate was Ethan's story; a much deserved chance at a loving family and better life. Seeing the development in his character was heart-tugging but did not elicit pity. Rather, I admired his resilience and ability to overcome his adversity. This, integrated with the suspense were the highlight of the story.(less)

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Sep 25, 2010 Jane Stewart rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: romantic-suspense-mystery

Excellent writing, story telling and relationships. Very enjoyable. Sexual content is appropriate for teenagers.

STORY BRIEF:
Maddie adopted troubled teen Ethan in Philadelphia. She and Ethan moved to a small town in Tennessee because she felt it would be better for him. She is editor of the local newspaper. Ethan became a protector and best friend to Jordan, a fearful boy bullied by others. Jordan’s stepdad Steve took Ethan, Jordan and two other boys camping in the mountains for the weekend. Some...more Excellent writing, story telling and relationships. Very enjoyable. Sexual content is appropriate for teenagers.

STORY BRIEF:
Maddie adopted troubled teen Ethan in Philadelphia. She and Ethan moved to a small town in Tennessee because she felt it would be better for him. She is editor of the local newspaper. Ethan became a protector and best friend to Jordan, a fearful boy bullied by others. Jordan’s stepdad Steve took Ethan, Jordan and two other boys camping in the mountains for the weekend. Someone killed Steve, and the boys came back alone. Jordan is in a trance-like state, unable to communicate and is staying at the hospital. Sheriff Gabe is investigating. Gabe wants a relationship with Maddie, but she’s reluctant. Her priorities are Ethan and her work. She and Gabe have a lot of interaction due to his investigation of the death. Ethan is a suspect. Gabe is doing his best to find another suspect which is difficult.

REVIEWER’S OPINION:
Excellent writing and story telling. Following is an example of her writing style, page 166. A dead body was lying in a creek. Gabe was looking for evidence and taking pictures. “He’d been in the creek just long enough for the deep ache to start in his ankles and calves from the cold and for the water to wick up to mid-thigh on his jeans.” It made me feel like I was there. It was an interesting description. Lesser writing might say “he got wet while standing in the creek taking pictures.”

More than once the author used a cliffhanger to cause artificial suspense, which is something I don’t like. For example, page 175, Maddie had been asking Ethan to tell her what happened but he wouldn’t. Finally he agrees to tell her. He starts by saying “He didn’t mean to do it.” Then the author switches to another scene with other characters for 3 ½ pages before going back to Ethan and continuing with what he was telling Maddie. This annoyed me because I had to skip ahead to see how long it was going to be until I learned what he was going to tell Maddie. After finding that it would be 3 ½ pages, I then relaxed, went back, and read it in order.

This book fits the definition of a romance novel because there is a good romantic relationship developing, and there is a happy ending. But I think romance readers are used to seeing a little more sex than what was in this book. If that’s important to you, just know that there was one sex scene, vaguely written in a manner appropriate for teenagers. Personally I’d prefer a little more detail, but some readers will like it fine just as it is.

Although not a problem, I would have liked more back story on Ethan and Maddie.

EXCELLENT COMMENT BY ANOTHER REVIEWER:
I enjoyed and agree with City Girl Bookworm’s comment. She wrote “I enjoyed the relationship between Ethan and M, their growing trust in each other, and how they each realize how much they depend on each other. Most people adopt children as babies, and it takes a special person to adopt an older child especially when the child has had a hard life. I appreciate Madison being not only willing to adopt a teenager, but also willing to change her life for his benefit. She moves away from a successful career and a familiar home to give her son a new chance to start his life as a normal kid, and when people look at Ethan when their small community has big problems, she stands up for him as any mother would. Ethan's loyalty to his friend Jordan is beyond what a normal 15-year old would do, but because of Ethan's own childhood, he recognizes something in Jordan that he can relate too.”

DATA:
Story length: 375 pages. Swearing language: strong including religious words. Sexual language: mild. Number of sex scenes: one, 1 ½ pages long. Setting: current day Buckeye, Tennessee. Copyright: 2008. Genre: romantic suspense mystery.(less)

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Jul 31, 2010 Kendra rated it 5 of 5 stars

Indiana author Susan Crandall will be speaking at Greenwood Public Library on November 18 at 6pm as part of our NaNoWriMo creative writing series. I have heard great things about Crandall’s writing for a while, but had not gotten around to reading any of her books until this week when I finished Pitch Black.

Maddie and her adopted son Ethan moved to a small town in the South to escape the dangers of the big city, but they could never have anticipated the fear that would strike them when the step...more

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Oct 09, 2010 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars

I have never read a Susan Crandall book before, but I certainly will be looking for more to read! I picked up Pitch Black in the bargain books section of my local B&N thinking that the story looked interesting. I was not disappointed! The characters are interesting and complicated - I found myself really rooting for the main characters – Maddie, Ethan and Gabe. The mystery at the center of this book is rooted in very realistic situations – teenage drug use, abusive step parents, the challeng...more

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Aug 25, 2009 Penny Ramirez rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: romantic-suspense

This was a good read. Fast-paced, good mystery, you think you know who did it but then again you're not really sure....and there's romantic interest, but no actual sex until the end - and even then it's pretty much off-camera. I'd read this author again.

Recommended for fans of romantic suspense that like some current issues thrown in for good measure: abandoned kids, steroid abuse, possible child abuse.

Book #2 that I read this year for Aspen Gold competition 2009.

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Jul 12, 2008 Julie rated it 3 of 5 stars

I'm not really reading this anymore. Part of the reason is b/c I had a hunch who the bad guy was the minute he was introduced. And all the diversionary clues the author threw out didn't work to change my hunch. Every time the guy's name was mentioned, I became more convinced. When he finally showed up again in a scene, I thought he shoulda been wearing a "Guess-Who-I-Am" T-shirt!

It wasn't just the obviousness of the bad guy, though, that's made me put this one on hold, it's the one-dimensional...more

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Mar 04, 2010 Kemi looves 2 read rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: suspense-mystery, thriller, fiction

This is my 1st book by Susan Crandall and I loved it. The suspense was such a sweet rush for me!! I could barely put the book down. There was more than enough elements of "whodunnit" to keep you flipping the messages. I'm pumped! I'll look for more of her books........

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Sep 30, 2012 Carol Hurtig rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is the second book from this author and I will definitely read more. It is a combination of romance and mystery. Good plot and interaction between characters.

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Jul 26, 2010 Amber rated it 2 of 5 stars

Little plot, little character development, little romance... this one just came up lacking all around. Read 'Seeing Red' by Crandall - it was much more enjoyable.

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Jan 02, 2010 Katie rated it 4 of 5 stars

A well-respected man in the community dies and the sheriff has to find the guilty persons. He doesn't want to believe its his new girlfriend's teenage adopted son.

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Aug 11, 2010 Mum rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: beach-read, romance, suspense-thriller, fiction

It was a quick read, no true plotting surprises, just a lesson about jumping to conclusions. I would give it 3.5 stars.

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Dec 08, 2008 Caitlyn rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was a new author for me and I was thrilled to discover her. She is now on my auto-buy list.

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Jul 30, 2012 Rick rated it 5 of 5 stars

Extremely satisfying, tension-filled suspense/romance novel. Not a false note anywhere. Can't wait to read more from this author.

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Feb 04, 2012 Joyce McKune rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: crime-fiction, murder-mystery, romance

The plot was great. I was over half in before I guessed who the killer was. But, the romance quite hokey.

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Apr 05, 2013 International Cat Lady rated it 2 of 5 stars

Predictable story written with the literary skill of a high school student.

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Feb 26, 2012 Dirk Fecho rated it 3 of 5 stars

It was entertaining enough, but nothing great.

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Aug 28, 2012 Pat rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: completed

More suspense mystery than romance but still OK.

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Nov 14, 2010 Julie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Read all of this series Good,

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Jan 08, 2010 Lynn Calvin added it

Amazon preorder

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Jun 12, 2009 Jennifer added it

Excellent book.

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Jun 28, 2009 Sandy rated it 2 of 5 stars

Not bad. 2/5 stars.

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Oct 23, 2010 Mojca rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: e-book, bodyguard-military-merc-gov-cop-leo, contemporary-romance, susan-crandall, suspense-mystery-adventure-thriller, own, toy-stories-reading-challenge, rrrc-1st-reading-tournament, once-and-never-again, hb0, chubby-chunkster-challenge

I'm not a big fan of Ms. Crandall's writing, so why do I keep reading her books? Well, one more to go and I'm done. Truly. Because I didn't like this one, either.

Great premise and intriguing start that soon gave way to slow pacing, bland characters, nonexistent suspense, and a killer that could be spotted from a distance.

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May 30, 2011 Jennifer rated it 5 of 5 stars

A single mom of a troubled teen taken away from the streets. She moves to small town and soon finds a guy she cant really get away from because she has feelings for her. But something tragic happened a man died and Gabe thinks its Madison son Ethan fault

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Sep 13, 2012 BoekenTrol marked it as not_read_only_released Recommends it for: bloedengel

Shelves: bookcrossing, bought_for_other_person, crime-thrillers-espionage, english_language

This book is for my partner in the "Color your life"-exchange RABCK. Along with some goodies in a matching color it'll be sent out.

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Sep 07, 2011 Vicki Batman added it

Shelves: prior-to-2012

very good. Loved the hero. Thought the premise of adopting at risk teenager very novel idea. Guessed who was the bad guy :)

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Dec 26, 2009 Donna is currently reading it

Just started reading this book.

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About Susan Crandall

Unlike so many writers, Susan Crandall did not emerge from the womb with a pen and paper in hand and a fully formed story in her mind. Instead, she was born with an incredible love for books. This must be genetic, because her father and now her son, both hated school, but are somehow addicted to books.

For much of her young life, even those exhausting years when her children were young and Susan...more

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