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Pete Fernandez Mystery #2
Down the Darkest Street:
PETE FERNANDEZ SHOULD BE DEAD.
His life – professional and personal – is in ruins. His best friend is dead. His newspaper career is past tense. His ex is staying with him as her own marriage crumbles. On top of that, the former journalist finds himself in the eye of a dangerous storm; investigating a missing girl with an unexpected partner and inching closer and closer to a vicious, calculating killer cutting a swath of blood across Miami – while at the same time battling his own personal demons that refuse to be silenced.
DOWN THE DARKEST STREET, the hard-boiled sequel to Alex Segura’s acclaimed debut, SILENT CITY, tells a tale of redemption, survival and the sordid backstreets of Miami – while asking the question that many are too scared to answer: When faced with pure darkness, would you fold or fight?
His life – professional and personal – is in ruins. His best friend is dead. His newspaper career is past tense. His ex is staying with him as her own marriage crumbles. On top of that, the former journalist finds himself in the eye of a dangerous storm; investigating a missing girl with an unexpected partner and inching closer and closer to a vicious, calculating killer cutting a swath of blood across Miami – while at the same time battling his own personal demons that refuse to be silenced.
DOWN THE DARKEST STREET, the hard-boiled sequel to Alex Segura’s acclaimed debut, SILENT CITY, tells a tale of redemption, survival and the sordid backstreets of Miami – while asking the question that many are too scared to answer: When faced with pure darkness, would you fold or fight?
282 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 12, 2016
103 people are currently reading
593 people want to read
About the author
Alex Segura
275 books572 followersAlex Segura is the bestselling and award-winning author of Secret Identity, which The New York Times called “wittily original” and named an Editor’s Choice. NPR described the novel as “masterful” and The L.A. Times called it “a magnetic read.”
Secret Identity received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, and Booklist, was listed as one of the Best Mysteries of the Year by NPR, Kirkus, Booklist, LitReactor, Gizmodo, BOLO Books, and the South Florida Sun Sentinel, was nominated for the Anthony Award for Best Hardcover, the Lefty and Barry Awards for Best Novel, the Macavity Award for Best Mystery Novel, and won the LA Times Book Prize in the Mystery/Thriller category.
His upcoming work includes the YA superhero adventure Araña/Spider-Man 2099: Dark Tomorrow, the follow-up to Secret Identity, Alter Ego, and the sci-fi/espionage thriller, Dark Space (with Rob Hart). Alex is also the author of Star Wars Poe Dameron: Free Fall, the Anthony Award-nominated Pete Fernandez Miami Mystery series, and a number of comic books – including The Mysterious Micro-Face (in partnership with NPR), The Black Ghost, The Archies, The Dusk, The Awakened, Mara Llave – Keeper of Time, Blood Oath, stories featuring Marvel heroes the Avengers, Sunspot, White Tiger, Spider-Man and DC’s Superman, Sinestro, and The Question, to name a few.
His short story, “90 Miles” was included in The Best American Mystery and Suspense Stories for 2021 and won the Anthony Award for Best Short Story. Another short story,“Red Zone,” won the 2020 Anthony Award for Best Short Story.
Alex is also the co-creator of the Lethal Lit podcast, named one of the best fiction podcasts of 2018 by The New York Times.
A Miami native, he lives in New York with his wife and children.
Secret Identity received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, and Booklist, was listed as one of the Best Mysteries of the Year by NPR, Kirkus, Booklist, LitReactor, Gizmodo, BOLO Books, and the South Florida Sun Sentinel, was nominated for the Anthony Award for Best Hardcover, the Lefty and Barry Awards for Best Novel, the Macavity Award for Best Mystery Novel, and won the LA Times Book Prize in the Mystery/Thriller category.
His upcoming work includes the YA superhero adventure Araña/Spider-Man 2099: Dark Tomorrow, the follow-up to Secret Identity, Alter Ego, and the sci-fi/espionage thriller, Dark Space (with Rob Hart). Alex is also the author of Star Wars Poe Dameron: Free Fall, the Anthony Award-nominated Pete Fernandez Miami Mystery series, and a number of comic books – including The Mysterious Micro-Face (in partnership with NPR), The Black Ghost, The Archies, The Dusk, The Awakened, Mara Llave – Keeper of Time, Blood Oath, stories featuring Marvel heroes the Avengers, Sunspot, White Tiger, Spider-Man and DC’s Superman, Sinestro, and The Question, to name a few.
His short story, “90 Miles” was included in The Best American Mystery and Suspense Stories for 2021 and won the Anthony Award for Best Short Story. Another short story,“Red Zone,” won the 2020 Anthony Award for Best Short Story.
Alex is also the co-creator of the Lethal Lit podcast, named one of the best fiction podcasts of 2018 by The New York Times.
A Miami native, he lives in New York with his wife and children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
February 4, 2023
Fast paced
This second book in the Pete Fernandez series is just as potent as the first. Pete has trouble letting go of things including people, but it makes the character more endearing. Books set in Miami are always a joy for me.
This second book in the Pete Fernandez series is just as potent as the first. Pete has trouble letting go of things including people, but it makes the character more endearing. Books set in Miami are always a joy for me.
April 7, 2016
I'm going to keep it real here: I did not like this book very much. It's awkward for me to say so because I gave a so-so review to the author's first novel and he took it on the chin like a champ, but I have a complete honesty policy here. It's not a poorly written book. It's not even stupid. Most problems I had with it, you might not have. What I mean by that is that DOWN THE DARKEST STREET is targeted for a particular public: people who don't have expectations, who just want to spend a good time with a book for a couple days. Definitely not me.
DtDs is very similar to SILENT CITY. Pete is chasing another shadow killer, he's a little less likable because he stopped drinking and he's still recklessly endangering everybody he loves by sticking his nose where he shouldn't. I would've given DtDs the same rating as SILENT CITY if it didn't commit one crucial mistake: chapters from the killer's perspective. It's very problematic because it spoils the clues for the reader before Pete discovers them. That detail alone completely derailed the novel for me.
Hey, it's been getting rave reviews all over the place and I have a rep for disliking what everybody likes so make your own opinion, beautiful people.
DtDs is very similar to SILENT CITY. Pete is chasing another shadow killer, he's a little less likable because he stopped drinking and he's still recklessly endangering everybody he loves by sticking his nose where he shouldn't. I would've given DtDs the same rating as SILENT CITY if it didn't commit one crucial mistake: chapters from the killer's perspective. It's very problematic because it spoils the clues for the reader before Pete discovers them. That detail alone completely derailed the novel for me.
Hey, it's been getting rave reviews all over the place and I have a rep for disliking what everybody likes so make your own opinion, beautiful people.
February 21, 2018
I really like this series. This book seems to be the end of a two book origin story. I am curious to see where it goes from here especially after what Pete has been through.
January 31, 2016
I read Segura’s first book SILENT CITY within the span of one day. DOWN THE DARKEST STREETS continues this trend, as I finished it in one day while recuperating from a cold.
The story picks up a few months after Silent City, and that’s one of the things I enjoyed most about the book. Neither Segura, nor Pete Fernandez himself forget the events of Silent City. They follow Pete through the bars, alleys, and Miami streets of Down the Darkest Street. In the process, Segura builds a new mystery involving a long thought serial killer who is having a resurgence, introduced some new characters such as Dave- a burnout book store owner who has no qualms about pulling a gun on someone he feels is threatening his friends, as well as builds Pete’s relationship with two women in his life- Emily, his ex, and Kathy, his friend who he shares a great relationship that never strays into the ‘will they/won’t they’ territory.
Overall a fun, gripping P.I story and I can’t wait to see what awaits Pete Fernandez next.
The story picks up a few months after Silent City, and that’s one of the things I enjoyed most about the book. Neither Segura, nor Pete Fernandez himself forget the events of Silent City. They follow Pete through the bars, alleys, and Miami streets of Down the Darkest Street. In the process, Segura builds a new mystery involving a long thought serial killer who is having a resurgence, introduced some new characters such as Dave- a burnout book store owner who has no qualms about pulling a gun on someone he feels is threatening his friends, as well as builds Pete’s relationship with two women in his life- Emily, his ex, and Kathy, his friend who he shares a great relationship that never strays into the ‘will they/won’t they’ territory.
Overall a fun, gripping P.I story and I can’t wait to see what awaits Pete Fernandez next.
July 29, 2017
Pete Fernandez's life is in ruins, yet he doesn't give up. He fights, and it gets worse.
Have to admire a person who under great danger perseveres and presses forward. When things got bad, it became worse, making this an excellent plot.
(Nearly every character used "colorful" language. That took away from the story.)
The main reason I enjoy these stories is the character arch of Pete. He's bettering himself, moving away from alcohol's grip on his life.
The characters showed their human side, making this story feel very real. His ex, Emily made mistakes but tried to right the wrongs. Kathy, Journalists, helps Pete until...
I'm hooked and, I look forward to the next book.
Have to admire a person who under great danger perseveres and presses forward. When things got bad, it became worse, making this an excellent plot.
(Nearly every character used "colorful" language. That took away from the story.)
The main reason I enjoy these stories is the character arch of Pete. He's bettering himself, moving away from alcohol's grip on his life.
The characters showed their human side, making this story feel very real. His ex, Emily made mistakes but tried to right the wrongs. Kathy, Journalists, helps Pete until...
I'm hooked and, I look forward to the next book.
January 23, 2016
One of the things I loved about Alex Segura's debut novel “Silent City” was that it was something you don't often see in the private detective genre, an origin story. In the book you got to follow disgruntled, hard drinking Pete Fernandez on his journey from worker at a Miami newspaper to becoming a private detective. It was a rare tale for the genre and did some incredibly cool things. So I was excited to see where Segura took Pete in his follow up book “Down the Darkest Street” (which will be available April 12th. I was lucky enough to score an ARC) Having just finished the book I'm happy to report that in it Segura has once again done something cool and different with Pete. He's shown that the origin story can be a much more complex and entertaining tale that involves more than a person deciding to become something.
In crime fiction life is often complicated, brutal, and messy. Discovering your true calling doesn't necessarily mean your life will be better and your personal demons will be silenced. Or you can be great at something and because life gets in the way you fail miserably. So the origin story is a great heroic thing, but it's nice to see here that becoming who you are meant to be isn't always a linear journey. As Segura expertly shows, some times it's a case of one step forward and three steps back.
That's what happened with Pete when Segura picks up with him in “Down the Darkest Street.” He tried being an unlicensed private eye and failed. He's living on some savings and passing the time working in a friend's used book store. Plus he's wrestling with his alcoholism and haunted by all the violence and death he witnessed in the previous book. So he's in a pretty realistic and dark place.
Pete is also still very much a mercurial tempered person who often makes poor choices and can be a real jerk at times. So he's a hard person to like, but he's a fascinating character to read about and root for. That's because even though Pete might not see it in himself Segura's prose shows us that Pete is a capable and cunning investigator who genuinely wants to do good. So he'll disappoint you and break your heart some times by being a jerk, but like the few friends he has left at the beginning of the novel, you root for him to make the right choices and do good because you see his potential.
In “Down the Darkest Street” Pete is once again thrust into situation where he can do a lot of good or a whole lot of damage to himself and the people around him because Miami is once again being menaced by a dangerous and shadowy killer, but unlike the Silent Death (the antagonist of “Silent City”) this killer isn't a professional one. He's a serial killer. I don't want to say much about the killer and spoil anything, but I will say he's a pretty creepy villain that you want to see brought down and there's some fun reveals about him.
Some of the surviving characters of “Silent City” also return like Pete's ex-girlfriend Emily, and her jerkass husband Rick, but my favorite returning character is Pete's friend Kathy, who's working as a reporter in this story. I love that Kathy is a noble, but human character and that she doesn't suffer Pete's B.S. with a smile They've got a fun rapport.
We also meet a number of fascinating new characters like two FBI agents investigating the same murders as Pete, and Pete's good natured, burly, and burnout friend Dave, who owns the book store Pete works at. Dave is probably my favorite new character. Early on in the book you see that he is prepared for violence and can handle himself in a fight and Segura also hints at his connections with certain elements of the Miami underworld. So Dave is almost kind of a burnout muscle figure for Pete. I love those types of characters in private eye fiction.
The other major character in “Down the Darkest Street” is of course the city of Miami. It's Segura's hometown and he shows it by really giving you a sense of the city. Too often when we see Miami in fiction it's all glitz, glamour, and beautiful people and places. In this book you get some of that, but Segura also shows you the decadence and grit lurking just below that shiny, pretty surface and that the city is also home to real people struggling to get by.
The action, pace, and revelations in “Down the Darkest Street” are all well done. It's a book that you will finish quickly because ultimately it's a gritty, gripping. character driven tale of a guy struggling with his personal demons and trying to do some good while trying to come to grip with the fact that he has a knack for rooting out and confronting corruption and evil. It was a hell of a book and I can't wait to see where Segura takes Pete next.
In crime fiction life is often complicated, brutal, and messy. Discovering your true calling doesn't necessarily mean your life will be better and your personal demons will be silenced. Or you can be great at something and because life gets in the way you fail miserably. So the origin story is a great heroic thing, but it's nice to see here that becoming who you are meant to be isn't always a linear journey. As Segura expertly shows, some times it's a case of one step forward and three steps back.
That's what happened with Pete when Segura picks up with him in “Down the Darkest Street.” He tried being an unlicensed private eye and failed. He's living on some savings and passing the time working in a friend's used book store. Plus he's wrestling with his alcoholism and haunted by all the violence and death he witnessed in the previous book. So he's in a pretty realistic and dark place.
Pete is also still very much a mercurial tempered person who often makes poor choices and can be a real jerk at times. So he's a hard person to like, but he's a fascinating character to read about and root for. That's because even though Pete might not see it in himself Segura's prose shows us that Pete is a capable and cunning investigator who genuinely wants to do good. So he'll disappoint you and break your heart some times by being a jerk, but like the few friends he has left at the beginning of the novel, you root for him to make the right choices and do good because you see his potential.
In “Down the Darkest Street” Pete is once again thrust into situation where he can do a lot of good or a whole lot of damage to himself and the people around him because Miami is once again being menaced by a dangerous and shadowy killer, but unlike the Silent Death (the antagonist of “Silent City”) this killer isn't a professional one. He's a serial killer. I don't want to say much about the killer and spoil anything, but I will say he's a pretty creepy villain that you want to see brought down and there's some fun reveals about him.
Some of the surviving characters of “Silent City” also return like Pete's ex-girlfriend Emily, and her jerkass husband Rick, but my favorite returning character is Pete's friend Kathy, who's working as a reporter in this story. I love that Kathy is a noble, but human character and that she doesn't suffer Pete's B.S. with a smile They've got a fun rapport.
We also meet a number of fascinating new characters like two FBI agents investigating the same murders as Pete, and Pete's good natured, burly, and burnout friend Dave, who owns the book store Pete works at. Dave is probably my favorite new character. Early on in the book you see that he is prepared for violence and can handle himself in a fight and Segura also hints at his connections with certain elements of the Miami underworld. So Dave is almost kind of a burnout muscle figure for Pete. I love those types of characters in private eye fiction.
The other major character in “Down the Darkest Street” is of course the city of Miami. It's Segura's hometown and he shows it by really giving you a sense of the city. Too often when we see Miami in fiction it's all glitz, glamour, and beautiful people and places. In this book you get some of that, but Segura also shows you the decadence and grit lurking just below that shiny, pretty surface and that the city is also home to real people struggling to get by.
The action, pace, and revelations in “Down the Darkest Street” are all well done. It's a book that you will finish quickly because ultimately it's a gritty, gripping. character driven tale of a guy struggling with his personal demons and trying to do some good while trying to come to grip with the fact that he has a knack for rooting out and confronting corruption and evil. It was a hell of a book and I can't wait to see where Segura takes Pete next.
January 9, 2018
Pete Fernandez didn't see the kick coming.
Set roughly a year after Silent City , Pete Fernandez has hit bottom. He gained some minor celebrity from stopping the Silent Death, but drank it, and most of the goodwill of his fellow man, away. After one especially bad night, he decides to clean up his act and it works out pretty well for him. He's got a job at a local bookstore and his ex, Emily, is moving in with him after a separation from her husband. But when Pete gets involved with a case of a missing girl, the kicks just keep coming.
Alex Segura is a writer who needs to be known. He paints the neon lights and the dark shadows of Miami in such vivid detail and has created a wonderful character in Pete Fernandez. From page one, you empathize with Pete and root for a happy ending for him. Since this is noir, every happy ending has a dark cloud behind it.
The Pete Fernandez series is highly recommended. I look forward to reading Dangerous Ends .
Set roughly a year after Silent City , Pete Fernandez has hit bottom. He gained some minor celebrity from stopping the Silent Death, but drank it, and most of the goodwill of his fellow man, away. After one especially bad night, he decides to clean up his act and it works out pretty well for him. He's got a job at a local bookstore and his ex, Emily, is moving in with him after a separation from her husband. But when Pete gets involved with a case of a missing girl, the kicks just keep coming.
Alex Segura is a writer who needs to be known. He paints the neon lights and the dark shadows of Miami in such vivid detail and has created a wonderful character in Pete Fernandez. From page one, you empathize with Pete and root for a happy ending for him. Since this is noir, every happy ending has a dark cloud behind it.
The Pete Fernandez series is highly recommended. I look forward to reading Dangerous Ends .
March 6, 2018
I've love so much the "Pete Fernandez " 3, that i really have to read the second book.
Love it. Action thrill and action again. Really looking for his next story. Love the writing of Alex Segura.
Love it. Action thrill and action again. Really looking for his next story. Love the writing of Alex Segura.
January 22, 2016
Down the Darkest Street by Alex Segura From Lawrence Block's MATTHEW SCUDDER to Laura Lippman TESS MONAGHAN to Andrew Vachss' BURKE -- some of my favorite fictional characters are found deep within the pages of episodic detective novels. In DOWN THE DARKEST STREET, Alex Segura (Archie Comics, THE SILENT CITY) breathes life into PETE FERNANDEZ, creating a deep portrayal of a somebody you think you might know, but kinda wish you didn't. Pete has screwed up his relationships, struggles with his recovery from alcoholism, and isn't always the sharpest tool in the box. His flaws and his failures help us navigate the vivid Miami landscape and a plot surrounding a missing girl, investigative journalism, and danger!Segura is streets ahead when it comes to character development. Pete and his ex, Emily, are front-and-center. Their complicated relationship (with occasional guest appearances by Costello the cat, named after Elvis, not Lou) is everything ... all at one. There is a profundity with how they deal with one another. Their conflicts are the engine that powers this novel. Segura litters his prose with music references (Clash, Smiths, Replacements, etc) creating a passive soundtrack for this story. You hear the songs playing as you read along. This is the sorta of story you'd devour while listening to the Grosse Point Blank on a sunlit summer beach somewhere. This is a strong second novel. Pete is a nuanced character that feels 'lived' in and alive. If you're looking to try something striking, give this a try.
June 13, 2021
What a rough ride! I’ve never seen a protagonist get his butt kicked so much—literally. Pete is one tough cookie. He lost the woman he loved (Emily), his house and all his possessions, and everybody hated him even though he was trying to do the right thing by trying to find out who was murdering the girls. His ex Emily really got on my nerves, too. I was glad when he finally told her about herself. She was a selfish b*tch who used him for a place to stay and then had the audacity to berate him about his behavior, as if she was faultless.
Oh, and Pete’s an alcoholic, which didn’t help his situation any. At least he worked on getting better during the story. But he did make me mad when he fell off the wagon, because of course he screwed up and there were more problems because of it.
And did I mention he got his butt kicked? Multiple times. I was exhausted by the amount of abuse he took. He needs to take a martial arts class or something if he’s going to continue to be a PI.
Although I completed the book and thought it was well-written, I’m not sure when I’ll read the next Pete Fernandez story sitting on my Kindle. On one hand, the mystery was well done and I liked reading about Miami, one of my favorite cities. On the other hand, I need my heroes to win a little, and I didn’t enjoy seeing Pete get pummeled over and over again—mentally as well as physically.
Oh, and Pete’s an alcoholic, which didn’t help his situation any. At least he worked on getting better during the story. But he did make me mad when he fell off the wagon, because of course he screwed up and there were more problems because of it.
And did I mention he got his butt kicked? Multiple times. I was exhausted by the amount of abuse he took. He needs to take a martial arts class or something if he’s going to continue to be a PI.
Although I completed the book and thought it was well-written, I’m not sure when I’ll read the next Pete Fernandez story sitting on my Kindle. On one hand, the mystery was well done and I liked reading about Miami, one of my favorite cities. On the other hand, I need my heroes to win a little, and I didn’t enjoy seeing Pete get pummeled over and over again—mentally as well as physically.
July 24, 2018
Pete Fernandez lost a lot a year ago. His best friend was killed in a car bomb meant for him. His ex-fiancee can't decide between him and her husband. His newspaper career is over and he is barely hanging on, living in his father's house and working a part-time job at a bookstore. He is trying to stop drinking, attending meetings and taking it one day at a time. But when he is swept up in another investigation of young girls being murdered in Miami, things go downhill quickly. He is beaten up, his house is burned and his ex-fiancee is almost murdered. Pete has to make a decision, will he actually become a private investigator or just continue bumbling around? This is a great sequel to Silent City , exploring more sides of Pete and developing his character. He is a man caught in crisis, who has not figured out, yet, how to navigate a new reality. Lots of action along with an interesting plot.
April 24, 2018
In this second outing after Silent City, Peter Fernandez is attending AA and following the program’s edict to make amends. Enter his ex, Emily, who has left her husband. Pete had cheated on her with his office assistant., Alice. Emily moves in to sort both herself and heart out, but then she goes missing. Kathy, who was a plot point to Silent City, returns and provides a compass of sorts to Pete’s self-destructive tendencies. Life goes sideways faster for Pete than a screen door in a hurricane. A few comments worth mentioning about what separates this novel from the first, Silent City. The author introduces more female characters, often absent in the male-dominated world of the PI, and the villain here is a serial killer. No spoilers here, but the introduction of a serial killer requires the introduction of two FBI agents. I admire an author who takes chances with Plot and Character. Serial killers in literature often go against seasoned cops, and not a self-taught PI. Peter is out of his depth against a very dangerous criminal. Another gamble here is some chapters shift perspective à la the show Criminal Intent to the killer’s point of view. The reader knows more than Pete and we watch over his shoulder as he discovers clues. It’s a writer’s gamble and I was thrown off at first, though I’ve grown to admire Pete and the author’s continued portrayal of Miami as a secondary character.
October 30, 2017
I have the pleasure of hearing Alex Segura speak during a Mysterious Bookstore event months ago, as he read chapters of his book Dangerous Ends. I was pleasantly surprised by how his character Pete Fernandez managed to survive in the real world. Segura seems to cast Pete as his shadow-self -- a dark compulsive personality type who can't help but get into trouble. It makes reading this first story infinitely compelling. I binge read Down the Darkest Street with Silent City during a weekend. Segura's work is brilliant and only getting better.
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June 14, 2017This is an excellent standalone novel in the Pete Fernandez Mystery series. I liked it so much that I plan to read the other books in the series. Pete Fernandez is down on his luck both personally and professionally. He is a former journalist who is out of work, an alcoholic, divorced from his wife, and has lost his best friend. The book begins about 2 years after he successfully unraveled and rescued Kathy, a journalist who had been kidnapped. Following a complicated set of circumstances, Pete is asked to locate a woman who has disappeared. Pete asks Kathy to work with him to locate the missing woman, and thus the journey begins. What follows is a really exciting well plotted mystery, with thrills and chills a little bit of romance. The ending had me on the edge of my chair. I really liked this novel. The main character, Pete is flawed, he doesn’t always do the right thing at the right time, but I loved the humanness of him
June 15, 2017
I love Pete!
I love this character and I love this series! There's just something unique about Pete Fernandez, that makes him so likeable even though he is just so messed up in so many ways.
Alex Segura has proven that knows how to write a gripping story! This second book in the series just whet's my appetite for more Pete Fernandez! Bring it on Alex!!!!
I love this character and I love this series! There's just something unique about Pete Fernandez, that makes him so likeable even though he is just so messed up in so many ways.
Alex Segura has proven that knows how to write a gripping story! This second book in the series just whet's my appetite for more Pete Fernandez! Bring it on Alex!!!!
April 3, 2022
Another exciting book in the series. Look forward to reading the next one.
July 6, 2018
Down the Darkest Street (Pete Fernandez Book 2)
Pete Fernandez works to attend AA and stay away from hard alcohol as he continues to find himself embroiled with a case of sadistic serial killings of young girls. The killer comes after Pete and his friends to get rid of their meddling into his diabolical plans!
This book is tough to read at times! Pete gets roughed up yet again! In light of recent findings about dangers of concussions, suspending disbelief while we read seems the only way of accepting that characters can withstand repeated blows to the head. Readers will want to give Pete advice, give him hugs, cry with him. They will want to give a piece of their minds to Pete's former girlfriend ... and, maybe, cross their fingers for Pete's lady co-writer to become more than just a co-worker.
Another compelling detective novel with more twists and turns that lead to a stunning conclusion, thanks to Pete Fernandez!! Don't miss this one!!
Pete Fernandez works to attend AA and stay away from hard alcohol as he continues to find himself embroiled with a case of sadistic serial killings of young girls. The killer comes after Pete and his friends to get rid of their meddling into his diabolical plans!
This book is tough to read at times! Pete gets roughed up yet again! In light of recent findings about dangers of concussions, suspending disbelief while we read seems the only way of accepting that characters can withstand repeated blows to the head. Readers will want to give Pete advice, give him hugs, cry with him. They will want to give a piece of their minds to Pete's former girlfriend ... and, maybe, cross their fingers for Pete's lady co-writer to become more than just a co-worker.
Another compelling detective novel with more twists and turns that lead to a stunning conclusion, thanks to Pete Fernandez!! Don't miss this one!!
August 13, 2017
A fantastic summer read. Down the Darkest Street is a mystery that moves along at a rapid pace with nuanced characters, real world issues (including cell phone charging problems) and clever musical references. Even though I've read a kazillion mysteries, Segura managed to surprise me a couple of times with big reveals. If you dig Matthew Scudder adventures or novels by Harlan Coben, you'll enjoy this one.
February 13, 2017
I won my copy of this book free through a Goodreads giveaway.
I liked this book. It is about recovering alcoholic whose ex-wife comes to stay with him around the same time as he gets drawn into a serial killer investigation. His investigation irritates the FBI, enough that one of the FBI agents on the case seems particularly hostile to Pete and his reporter friend Kathy, beyond what I would expect from any real FBI agents. And, Pete seems to be having a lot more success with the investigation that the police or the FBI, for some reason, even though he is just asking basic questions of the people connected to the kidnapped and murdered victims. Eventually he works out who the killer is and why the FBI is acting so odd.
I did not like Pete's ex, and I hope Pete works out that she is not a good person and that he is lucky to be free of her in future books. She does find herself kidnapped and nearly killed by the bad guys, which she blames entirely on Pete, unfairly but understandably. But she seems totally oblivious to everything but her own interests, and completely unable to take responsibility for her actions or their consequences. She's realistic enough, but a terrible person I doubt I'll come to like as the series progresses.
I liked this book. It is about recovering alcoholic whose ex-wife comes to stay with him around the same time as he gets drawn into a serial killer investigation. His investigation irritates the FBI, enough that one of the FBI agents on the case seems particularly hostile to Pete and his reporter friend Kathy, beyond what I would expect from any real FBI agents. And, Pete seems to be having a lot more success with the investigation that the police or the FBI, for some reason, even though he is just asking basic questions of the people connected to the kidnapped and murdered victims. Eventually he works out who the killer is and why the FBI is acting so odd.
I did not like Pete's ex, and I hope Pete works out that she is not a good person and that he is lucky to be free of her in future books. She does find herself kidnapped and nearly killed by the bad guys, which she blames entirely on Pete, unfairly but understandably. But she seems totally oblivious to everything but her own interests, and completely unable to take responsibility for her actions or their consequences. She's realistic enough, but a terrible person I doubt I'll come to like as the series progresses.
November 8, 2016
via NYPL - Alex Segura isn't really reinventing the sadsack, alcoholic detective template in "Down the Darkest Street," but he's crafted a largely enjoyable novel. I missed "Silent City," the first of the Pete Fernandez tales (my library doesn't have it) and that book casts a long shadow over this one, but the shadow is pretty well explained and more evident in Pete's mood than any plot-based connection. So yes, you can jump right into this novel if you come across it first. Pete's a well crafted character, the writing's quite solid, the plot moves quickly.
There are a few hiccups, depending on your mileage. The finale is just a little too B-movie thriller, the killer actively harassing Pete never feels entirely justified given how little Pete knows throughout most of the novel, and Emily's abduction fate seems more plot-convenient than reasonable given her circumstances. But some of those reservations are simply my reservations with the genre itself.
The use of Miami as a character and the breakdown of Pete's character highlight Segura's strengths and, given the quickness of this book's pace, I'd certainly be interested in visiting Pete Fernandez again.
There are a few hiccups, depending on your mileage. The finale is just a little too B-movie thriller, the killer actively harassing Pete never feels entirely justified given how little Pete knows throughout most of the novel, and Emily's abduction fate seems more plot-convenient than reasonable given her circumstances. But some of those reservations are simply my reservations with the genre itself.
The use of Miami as a character and the breakdown of Pete's character highlight Segura's strengths and, given the quickness of this book's pace, I'd certainly be interested in visiting Pete Fernandez again.
March 16, 2016
The burgeoning detective career of Pete Fernandez continues in Down the Darkest Street, and despite setbacks and mistakes, Pete perseveres. He's an unusual creation, a man we watch learning to be a private eye, a process that comes with messiness and grief. In a sense, this book and Segura's previous novel, Silent City, feel like origin stories, tales of a character's difficult evolution. That personal evolution, Pete Fernandez's, is still ongoing, and I get the feeling that whatever triumphs he has in the future will not come easy. They certainly don't come easy in this book, but if we can say one thing about Pete, it's that he's a gamer. He falls, he retreats, but he doesn't quit. And I don't intend to quit this series - Alex Segura has something quite interesting working here.
January 10, 2016
Darker than SILENT CITY, and more tightly plotted, DOWN THE DARKEST STREET is a great followup.
Washed-up journalist Pete Fernandez is back. As is Miami -- especially southern and suburban Miami-Dade County -- at least as much a character as Pete's ex-wife, sorta friends, and the serial killer (or is it killers) roaming the book. Segura takes you down all the back alleys, seedy bars, and exurban strip malls tourists never see and finds in them the kind of menace Florida is regularly known for.
"Miami. Even the brightest sun and neon lights couldn't change it. The place was fucked. Dirty. Corrupt. A nightmare happening in broad daylight."
"After he'd created some distance between him and this sun-soaked hellmouth."
Spoken like a native.
Washed-up journalist Pete Fernandez is back. As is Miami -- especially southern and suburban Miami-Dade County -- at least as much a character as Pete's ex-wife, sorta friends, and the serial killer (or is it killers) roaming the book. Segura takes you down all the back alleys, seedy bars, and exurban strip malls tourists never see and finds in them the kind of menace Florida is regularly known for.
"Miami. Even the brightest sun and neon lights couldn't change it. The place was fucked. Dirty. Corrupt. A nightmare happening in broad daylight."
"After he'd created some distance between him and this sun-soaked hellmouth."
Spoken like a native.
December 31, 2015
If you've read SILENT CITY, you know Pete Fernandez. But when you read DOWN THE DARKEST STREET, you learn that Pete's life is going to go to hell. Poor Pete. Things are bad in SILENT CITY, but this book is filled with the anxiety that it's only going to get worse... and boy does it. Alex writes a book about the neon lights of Miami, but is still drenched with darkness.
This book flies. Each move Pete makes sets off dominos that lead to one of the most heartbreaking scenes I read this year. And, yet, I still couldn't put it down.
Pete Fernandez is a wonderful character, Alex Segura is a wonderful writer, and this is a series to watch out for in 2016.
This book flies. Each move Pete makes sets off dominos that lead to one of the most heartbreaking scenes I read this year. And, yet, I still couldn't put it down.
Pete Fernandez is a wonderful character, Alex Segura is a wonderful writer, and this is a series to watch out for in 2016.
May 13, 2016
Actual rating: 2.5
Mostly, I'm just annoyed that the Miami setting and my interest in the author's online presence suck me into reading two books in a series that I realized about halfway through the second one just ... isn't very good. The main character is entirely unappealing and makes the same mistakes over and over again, including putting his good friends in danger and mistreating everyone around him, the surprise! twists! are always the most obvious surprise! twists! available to the story, and the portrayal of the main character's ex is just short of toxic. Ugh.
(Can you tell the end was particularly off putting?)
Mostly, I'm just annoyed that the Miami setting and my interest in the author's online presence suck me into reading two books in a series that I realized about halfway through the second one just ... isn't very good. The main character is entirely unappealing and makes the same mistakes over and over again, including putting his good friends in danger and mistreating everyone around him, the surprise! twists! are always the most obvious surprise! twists! available to the story, and the portrayal of the main character's ex is just short of toxic. Ugh.
(Can you tell the end was particularly off putting?)
August 12, 2016
Down the Darkest Street was a book I received through the Goodreads giveaway. It is Pete Fernandez mystery taking place in Miami. This plot dealt with missing girls and a serial killer. Pete gets involved in unraveling the mystery; however, he has fewer friends to help him this time. Also, the murderer is out to get Pete, too.
I liked this book much better than Silent City, the first in the series. Pete is getting control of his drinking, and I appreciated his struggle to fight the demons of alcohol. There was more to this plot than in the first book, which seemed to dwell on the nights of alcohol and finding the way home at 3-4 in the morning totally drunk.
I liked this book much better than Silent City, the first in the series. Pete is getting control of his drinking, and I appreciated his struggle to fight the demons of alcohol. There was more to this plot than in the first book, which seemed to dwell on the nights of alcohol and finding the way home at 3-4 in the morning totally drunk.
December 22, 2015
Commercial crime fiction is no easy task for a writer. There are a lot of moving parts but the veneer of these novels need to to appear smooth and effortless. What Alex Segura does with 'Down The Darkest Street' is clearly assert himself as a confident and capable practitioner of this stuff. His main character (the struggling Fernandez) and the bit-players are all well drawn and the plot very briskly moves these people into the mystery. Throughout, Segura keeps the balance of character to pace just right. In short, I'm impressed. 'Down the Darkest Street' is perfect holiday reading.
July 2, 2016
I truly enjoyed this sequel to Silent City. It was faster-paced, grittier, and even more rewarding. Segura nails the Miami visitors rarely see. Pete Fernandez is a brilliantly real person. You want to meet him one day, but not because you need to. I can barely wait until this time next year when the third installment becomes available.
January 10, 2016
Delightfully hard-boiled, this mystery follows Pete Fernandez as his self-destructive tendencies war with his PI instincts. A knife-happy serial killer makes this well-written novel plenty suspenseful.
http://ow.ly/WS0JK
http://ow.ly/WS0JK
January 10, 2017
Well, I finished this, but I'm not sure why. Unless you like to read about serial killers who are total psychopaths and a protagonist with few redeeming characteristics, I wouldn't recommend it. Fernandez is loyal to his friends, granted, but apart from that, he's not a very likable hero.
May 29, 2016
Book was well written, but was not the type of book that I read. Other readers may find it very appealing.
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