The Dark Is Always Waiting by TJ Brearton
A PUBLIC SHOOTING
After surviving a public shooting and saving someone in the process, Alex Baines’s life is forever altered. His marriage hangs by a thread. His leg is shattered from a bullet wound. And evidence is piling up that the attack was not random…
A GUNMAN WITH SECRETS
State Investigator Raquel Roth has never seen a case like this. A criminal who makes major mistakes, yet seems to have a master plan. And is someone pulling his strings?
A WOMAN WHO WOULD DO ANYTHING TO KEEP HER FAMILY SAFE
Corrine Baines begins to worry someone is after her and her children, too. Everyone becomes a suspect in the plot to hurt her husband — who can she trust?
While the investigators race to prevent a terrifying new development in the case, Alex must confront the man who tried to kill him.
And Corrine must fight for her life… and the life of her children.
THE DARK IS ALWAYS WAITING is a crime thriller that will make you question what’s real until the very end, from one twist to the next. Find out the truth and start reading! *This book was previously published as Breathing Fire, but has been completely revised into this definitive version.
My Review
OMG this was brilliant. I think this is the seventh or eighth book I have read by this author (one still to be published for which I was a beta reader) and maybe – probably – my favourite. There I said it.
I read it in two days on holiday. I love a good crime novel with a bit of religion chucked in the mix.
Dr Alex Baines is a neuroscientist, who lectures on science versus religion, has a podcast and has published four books. As far as he is concerned science can be proved using evidence, while religion is based on faith and therefore unproven. Unfortunately this isn’t popular with right-wing religious fundamentalists of both Islam and Christianity. They believe he is the portent of doom, and the reason why the world is going to hell in a handcart (except he doesn’t of course believe in hell).
So when he is almost shot and then wounded in the leg while saving someone’s life at a public appearance, his life changes forever. But was this a random attack or an act of domestic terrorism? And if it is personal, does that mean that his wife Corrine, and children Kenneth and Freda could also be in danger? And who can Corrine trust? Almost no-one it would seem. Can she even trust her own husband?
For State Investigator Raquel Roth, the case takes on twist after twist where everyone is a suspect. This is not your average perp – he doesn’t seem to care that he is in custody. Then one surprising turn of events that involves Alex confronting the gunman is totally outside everyone’s experience. Should he do it?
This was such an exciting read. I was sorry when it finished. I really loved everything about this book. My only question left at the end – do we agree with Alex? Or are we on the side of religion?
Many thanks to the author and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for a review.
About the Author
T.J. Brearton’s books have reached half a million readers around the world and have topped the Amazon charts in the US, UK, Canada and Australia. A graduate of the New York Film Academy in Manhattan, Brearton first worked in film before focusing on novels. His books are visually descriptive with sharp dialogue and underdog heroes. When not writing, Brearton does whatever his wife and three children tell him to do. They live happily in the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York. Yes, there are bears in the Adirondacks. But it’s really quite beautiful when you’re not running for your life.
