A Thin Dark Line

Broussard and Fourcade #1

by Tami Hoag

Hoag, Tami

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Thriller, Suspense, Crime, Romantic Suspense, Mystery Thriller

Audio Cassette

First published March 3, 1997

About the author

Tami Hoag is the #1 internationally bestselling author of more than thirty books published in more than thirty languages worldwide, including her latest thrillers—BITTER SEASON, COLD COLD HEART and THE 9TH GIRL. 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 leads a double life in Palm Beach County, Florida where she is also known as a top competitive equestrian in the Olympic discipline of dressage. Other interests include the study of psychology, and mixed martial arts fighting.


Visit her at www.tamihoag.com, Facebook.com/TamiHoag and on Twitter @TamiHoag

Reviews

[A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, either I've been book-deprived for too long or she's that good. Five 5-star reads in a row. This hasn't happened since last century.

[♥Rachel♥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

I read A Thin Dark Line some years ago (more than ten) and loved it, so when it was offered on an Audible Daily Deal I snatched it up. The audio just enhanced an already riveting mystery!

Annie Broussard is a Deputy in Bayou Breaux Police Department hoping to make Detective. When a suspect in the brutal murder of Pam Bichon is exonerated on a technicality the community is outraged along with the Detective in charge of the case, Nick Fourcade. Annie already had ties to the murder because she was the officer who discovered Pam Bichon’s body, but when she crosses paths with Nick she gets dragged further into the case and the dark side of Nick. Annie is both fascinated and wary of him, and scared of the electric current of attraction they share.

Annie is a newer cop with ideals, innocence, and determination that Nick sees as an asset to the case. The fact that Marcus Reynard, the chief suspect, is suddenly fixated on her doesn’t hurt matters either. Nick’s convinced Marcus is guilty, but as Nick and Annie team up and dig deeper, Annie’s not so sure. She doesn’t want to pin a murder on the wrong guy, she wants justice and she wants the truth. It’s evident that Annie is rattling someone with her investigation, because gory “presents” and more sinister threats start coming her way.

The mystery as well as the internal politics Annie must navigate in the police force made for a captivating read. The romance was just icing on the cake. Nick and Annie’s relationship felt dangerous and passionate, and an element to the story made it sort of forbidden, or at the very least ill advised, but these two couldn’t stay away from each other.

After finishing A Thin Dark Line this time I was impressed and haunted. I couldn’t stop thinking of the solution and how things turned out, while the romance aspect was everything I hoped for, I was very sad for a particular character, and I think the voice and inflection the narrator gave this character every time he/she had a scene made their predicament resonate with me deeper than it did with just reading the pages. I highly recommend the narration; Karen Peakes made Annie Broussard’s character come to life, and did a fine job with the male voices as well. The accents and the Cajun French were spot on!

I was held in the spell of A Thin Dark Line all over again and I totally recommend it to any fan of romantic suspense/mystery! Fans of Sandra Brown, Linda Howard, or Lisa Gardner will gobble this up. There were a couple of issues that were a little too tidily wrapped up, and a couple of things I still had questions about by the end, but it didn’t impact my enjoyment. The mystery, while published more than eighteen years ago stands up well, and didn’t feel dated. As I said above, it had been years since I read this, so I totally forgot the identity of the murderer. I thought I remembered, but I ended up being completely wrong. Nice to be surprised twice!

Story: 4 Stars
Audio Narration: 5 Stars
Overall: 4.5 Stars

[Werner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Before reading this book, Tami Hoag was just another author's name to me. Of course, I'd seen her books for sale when I window shopped at Wal-Mart and similar venues; but being prejudiced against best sellers, and against any books characterized as "thrillers," I'd never had any interest in reading any of her work. However, for my birthday last month, my 11-year-old grandson Philip (who knows that I like to read as much as he does!) decided to gift me with a book when he spotted a special sale at the local public library --paperbacks for a quarter!-- and this was the one he picked. My expectations for it weren't particularly high, but I thought the kindness of the gift deserved a prompt reading. I was delighted to have my prejudices stood on their heads!

This is officially characterized (though not in the cover copy) as the fourth book of the author's Doucet series. However, that nominal "series" is apparently very loosely connected, only by having main or other characters from the fictional Doucet clan; and a Doucet appears in this novel, though not as the protagonist. Our protagonists are sheriff's deputies Nick Fourcade, a detective, and Annie Broussard, a uniformed deputy who'd like to be a detective. (The book is also counted as the opener of the Broussard and Fourcade series, which is apparently more connected; but it has a resolution to the mysteries involved in this volume, while leaving things open for new ones.)

Back in the late 80s, I visited the rural Cajun country of south Louisiana, where this book is set. So I could visualize the scenery, hear the accents and dialect, and appreciate the immersive evocation of place and culture that Hoag conjures. (Hoag herself was born in Iowa and lives in Florida; but she's clearly very familiar with this area, and has frequently set her fiction here.) The plot is very taut, respecting all of Aristotle's classical unities; it unfolds over a period of about two weeks leading up to Mardi Gras and Ash Wednesday (a season which is a big deal in heavily Catholic south Louisiana) mostly in and around the small town of Bayou Breaux, population around 7,000. As the book opens, we learn that one Marcus Renard has just been set free on a technicality after being arrested by the sheriff's office for the hideously savage rape and murder of a prominent local businesswoman. (The authorities are certain he's guilty --but is he?) Soon after, the community begins to be terrorized by a serial rapist.

Like all serious fiction, this novel is fundamentally concerned with moral issues, the answers to which aren't obvious and force readers to think. Here, the issues particularly revolve around the relationship of law and justice, and the ethics of vigilantism. (Personally, my view of the latter is more nuanced and less unconditionally condemning than some people's; but Hoag forces us to consider the dangers of too facile a resort to extra-legal vengeance, and the valid reasons why our and other civilized legal systems provide safeguards for the accused.) The solution to the crime(s) is anything but obvious; early on, I was 100% convinced of the identity of the killer, only to change my theory much nearer the end to another solution I was equally certain of --only to be wrong both times. I was totally blindsided by the denouement. But this isn't just an intellectual puzzle; it's a story about vividly-drawn, three-dimensional people and their interactions.

This can be a very dark novel (and I'm told that's often characteristic of Hoag's work). The murder and rapes themselves aren't directly described; and the sufferings of the victims, and the gory details of the crime scenes, aren't alluded to more than they actually have to be. But while the average modern American doesn't have any real sense that genuine moral evil is a reality which he or she could ever have any need to take into account, Hoag clearly has a very lively sense of that reality, and she doesn't intend to let us close the book without sharing it. (In a fallen world that wants to try to hide its fallenness, that's not a bad authorial aim.) While it's not a romance, the book does have two instances (in 590 pages) of explicit unmarried sex. Obviously, I didn't approve of this behavior; but I did understand the psychology of it, and the scenes aren't in themselves actually disgusting. But disgust would be a healthy reaction to the sexist and lewd attitudes of many of the male cops, and readers might want a barf bag handy when perusing some of the comments from these characters. (Hoag isn't presenting these as role models; disgust is the reaction she wants there.) There's also a certain amount of bad language, including f-words, much of it reflecting the real-life tendency of this kind of speech to be a feature of cop culture.

Action heroine fans should take note that, though the cover copy doesn't stress this aspect, Annie packs heat, and her police training has given her skills in hand-to-hand combat and using firearms --which just might turn out to come in handy. (And fans of action heroes will appreciate the fact that while Nick isn't Superman, he can take care of himself very well in a fair fight.)

I have to mention a bit of "reader response" criticism here. My wife is a fan of the TV series Handcrafted America, and I sometimes see parts of it when she watches it. A recent episode featured the construction of an instrument called the frottoir, resembling a solid metal washboard with distinctive bending, which is an essential element in performing zydeco music, a characteristic Cajun musical style developed in the last century. That was quite interesting to me; and in this book, I encountered several references to zydeco music. It was pretty cool to have seen this background on TV, in time to allow me to understand what this is and what it sounds like!

Since I'm trying not to get drawn into another open-ended series right now, I'm not planning to pursue this one. But I'd definitely recommend Hoag as a serious mystery writer, and I'd be open to reading more of her work sometime.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Thin Dark Line by Tami Hoag is a 1997 publication.

I shared in a review, recently, that I was having trouble finding the right book at the right time now. One sympathetic commenter suggested I try re-reading a favorite book. It just so happens that I had this one on my TBR because the author just released the third installment in the series after a very long wait- and I felt the need to go all the way back to the first installment, though I had read it many years ago, and refresh my memory about how the Broussard and Fourcade series got its start. Turns out this book snapped me out of my little ‘book depression’.

Despite having been written twenty-seven years ago, this story still packs a very powerful punch.

It’s been a long time since I was so immersed in a story, loathe to put it down, even past my bedtime. The story is gritty, and not for the faint of heart. The language at times is very vulgar, sexist, and occasionally juvenile for grown up professionals. But Annie gave as good as she got a lot of the time. Eventually, though, it toned down a bit as the story progressed. The chemistry between Annie and Nick sizzles hot as fire and I do remember having a bit of a crush on Nick. He’s rough and tough but has a soft side that comes out in timely moments that made up for it… and I loved his accent/vernacular.

This book, despite its darkness, does have a romantic element and several sex scenes- more explicit and more often than necessary, and honestly, the story did go on a bit longer than necessary- so, these interludes could have been cut out and the pacing would have benefited from those edits.

Other than that, the only other thing that should be mentioned is that the book’s age gives it a dated quality only because of the lack of modern technology. Strangely though, this only seemed to increase the unease as people depended on answering machines and rotary phones. Some super creepy moments came from the messages left on Annie’s machine.


Other than that, if you have never read one of Tami Hoag’s thrillers, you should treat yourself to one. This series, only has three installments- with extremely LONG waiting times in between releases- but you could binge read the series now!

Originally, I gave this book four stars, but now I think I appreciate it a little more-

4.5 rounded up

*Content warnings: Explict sex, contextual, realistic cop banter- it's really bad- sexist, vulgar and OTT, in my opinion- naturally, there's violence, and triggers, too. But, it is a dark thriller- so regular readers of dark crime will be able to handle it.

[Obsidian · Rating 2 out of 5]

What a weird book.

This doesn't even read like a Tami Hoag book. The main plot is a mess (investigating assault and murders of women) with multiple character POVs. I don't get the romance between Annie Broussard or Nick Fourcade. The setting of Louisiana could have been interesting, but ultimately fell flat. I just couldn't get behind Nick being an abusive police officer and Annie getting harassed by her fellow officers for daring to do the right thing.

I forgot I had "A Thin Dark Line" until I started rummaging through my bookshelves. I honestly didn't recall a thing about this book either so even though I had this book for years, nothing came back to me as I reread this.

Annie Broussard is a deputy looking to eventually become a detective. She finds herself fascinated by Nick Fourcade who is a loose cannon on the force. When Nick lashes out at a suspect, Annie steps on to stop the assault. This leaves Annie with a man who becomes obsessed with her. Nick also becomes obsessed with Annie initially thinking she is part of some conspiracy to ruin him.

I didn't really like any male in this book. Annie deserved better than Nick. In the end I think we're supposed to think Annie will keep Nick on the straight and narrow. Annie is put in danger repeatedly by her fellow officers and gets crapped on. She has an old flame try to tell her what to do and push his feelings on her. Maybe if Annie had a strong female relationship it would have helped balanced the overly masculine POVs.

I didn't believe the person who ended up being the suspect. It just read as false and something to throw out there. And I hated how things ultimately got wrapped up.

The writing was so so since we had multiple POVs. And we had Annie investigating and being harassed and Nick barely doing a thing it felt like. The flow was off. I found myself getting bored at parts. There were so many red herrings in this I just didn't even care at the end who was responsible for what.

I read this cause Hoag has a new book coming out that is a continuance of this series. Hopefully it's better than this.

[Paul Weiss · Rating 3 out of 5]

“People killed for money reasons – they fall down steps, they drown, they disappear.” But “This … this was personal. This was hate. Contempt. Control. Rage.”

A serial rapist is free with the case against him dismissed on a legal technicality. The officer who arrested him on the basis of a faulty search warrant is now himself under investigation for police brutality and assault that may well become a charge of attempted murder. A female detective faces the collective misogyny, indeed hatred, of an all-male deep South police force that threatens to also spill over into violence. Toss a deeply disturbed family with a non-functional autistic son far, far out on the spectrum, more than a spoonful of alcohol abusers, and a string of hot, sweaty sexual interludes into the blender for good measure and you’ve got A THIN DARK LINE.

I’ve read more than a handful of these over the years – suspense thrillers that focus so intently on drama, atmosphere, setting, and character development that the author forgets to craft a plot that needs to move purposely, urgently, compellingly and quickly. At just under 500 pages of painfully small print, A THIN DARK LINE moves far too slowly and takes far too long to reach a climax and dénouement to ever clear the bar of “gripping” - a combination that, for this reader, averages the rating out to a modest 3-star assessment with the added qualification that I will continue to read other Tami Hoag efforts.

Paul Weiss

[✨Susan✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Realestate agent is found dead and mutilated in one of her vacant listings. There are several other deaths peppered throughout southern Louisiana that have had the same MO. The authorities are stumped until Nick Fourcade a detective finds evidence pointing toward a man who knew the victims, however, the incriminating evidence is thrown out on a technicality. The local public becomes enraged and father of the latest victim try's to shoot the suspect, on the courthouse steps, upon his release.

Annie Broussard is the deputy who found the body and is doing her own investigation into who is committing these gruesom murders. Late one evening while she is off duty, Annie comes across intoxicated Nick Fourcade while he is beating said suspect. She must for his own good arrest him before he beats the suspect to death. This makes her very unpopular with the locals and she is completely shunned by her fellow officers. This in turn makes her even more determined than ever.

The characters were very believable and had distinct and very different personalities. The story was fast moving and kept me guessing. Karen Peakes did an excellent job narrating.

[CD {Boulder Blvd} · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tami Hoag's new book The Boy comes out next month and it's the second book in the Broussard and Fourcade series. Ms. Hoag has become a favorite writer of mine but I had not read the 1st book in the series, A Thin Dark Line.

I really enjoyed this one (the location, the characters, the suspense) and can't wait for Ms. Hoag's new book.

One note: In this book, Deputy Annie Broussard is really shown some male chauvinism in the workplace after she attempts to arrest one of their own, Nick Fourcade. What she had to endure felt really real and was well done by Ms. Hoag. Granted a male would have to endure some "stuff", but as the sole female it's definitely taken to a different level.

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this action packed read. Tami Hoag is on my favorite writers list.

There are a lot of mishaps in the police procedure in this story and two detectives who were so rogue I doubt they would be allowed to actually continue in their capacity's. Aside from this, the story kept my interest. I was completely wrong in who the serial killer was in the end.

If you like books about serial killers with non stop action, this book is for you.

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think I first read this book when I was in high school, and I remember really loving it. I decided to reread it, and I'm very glad I did! It was just as good as I remembered it being, and I completely forgot who the killer was, so it was a nice surprise!

Awesome suspenseful novel! I need to read more Tami Hoag! :)

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arrested for the murder of a local businesswoman, Marcus Rennard is soon freed on a technicality. Deputy Sheriff Annie Broussard feels an obligation to the dead woman to find her killer. Rennard may look guilty, but when she runs across Detective Nick Fourcade beating Rennard, she breaks it up and arrests Fourcade. As the men in the Sheriff's office harass her for being disloyal to the brotherhood, Annie digs into the murder case. She soon discovers her only ally is the cop she put behind bars.

Another great book by Tami Hoag! I had a few suspects that I kept jumping between. I was very surprised when the killer was revealed. I read this one when it first came out and loved it. This time around I listened to the audiobook which was excellent. My rating: 5 Stars.

[LJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

A THIN DARK LINE - VG
Hoag, Tami - standalone

Set in Bayou, the novel centres around a mission to nail a killer who walked free because of a technicality. On his trail, the cop whose mistake cost him the case, and his deputy, Annie Broussard, leading Nick Fourcade into an obsessive search for justice and truth, and Annie in to a dilemma where she must defend or accuse him.

I always enjoy Hoag and particularly like her books set in Bayou country. She writes great sexy men and strong women, add attraction, threat, suspense and you've a great read. CAUTION: there is some mutilation of animals.

[LeahBethany · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Thin Dark Line is a mystery set in southern Louisiana. Having lived in the state for a few years, I appreciated how well the author captured its uniqueness—the Cajun culture, the swamps, the alligators (just to name a few).

The novel felt about 200 pages too long and relied a bit too heavily on similes, but the mystery itself was solid. The romance, however, was less convincing and at times veered into Harlequin territory, complete with an enigmatic, tortured man the heroine is drawn to for reasons that never quite made sense.

P.S. Once again, I could have sworn one of my Goodreads friends recommended this book, which is why I checked it out of the library. But now that I’m posting this review, I see that none of my friends have read it. Where did this recommendation come from??

[Shawna · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars - Romantic Suspense

I liked certain aspects of this, but there were way too many mundane details that bogged down the story. The plot was convoluted and confusing. It was just too long-winded and would've been much better with some editing.

[Luli · Rating 5 out of 5]

*b-r with Linda and Nefise.*

You can find this review in English below.

5 estrellas, y ni siquiera me ha gustado. Pero lo he leído del tirón, sin pestañear, necesitaba, necesitaba saber cómo acabaría.

Esta es una de esas historias que lees en el periódico o ves en las noticias. Gente mala, con poder y sin escrúpulos que campan a sus anchas y que se salen con la suya. Corrupción. Gente buena a la que la justicia le da la espalda una y otra vez hasta que se vuelven locos. Crímenes repugnantes. Y todo ello, por si fuera poco, en un ambiente agobiante, pegajoso, oscuro y peligroso como son los pantanos de Bayou Breaux.

Ha sido una lectura difícil, oscura, violenta y sin una pizca de esperanza. La protagonista se mueve en un mundo machista y corrupto y la violencia contra las mujeres está presente en cada pasaje de la historia. La señora Hoag no se corta a la hora de llamar a las cosas por su nombre, un soplo de aire fresco, si me permiten, y de lo mejor de la historia. Alguna autora ahí afuera podría aprender algo sobre machismo con esta historia, que aunque fue escrita hace más de 20 años, pone de manifiesto unas cuantas verdades incómodas. Y yo aquí, dando vidilla a algunos romances porque son antiguos…

A tener en cuenta que aquí no hay teléfonos móviles, apenas está informatizado el trabajo policial y olvídate de GPSs… Y la gente fuma en cualquier lugar… Parecerá mentira pero es lo que más me ha chocado 😉

La historia es más un suspense que un romance, pero algo hay de esto último, lo que la hace más llevadera.

En fin, otra autora a la que seguir de cerca, porque merece la pena. Si le tengo que poner una pega es que ha sido demasiado realista. Y si eso es una pega…

***

5 stars, and I did not even like it. But I read it in one go, without blinking, I needed, needed to know how it would end.

This is one of those stories that you read in the newspaper or watch in the news. Bad people, with power and without scruples who do what they want and get away with it. Corruption. Good people to whom justice turns its back again and again until they go crazy. Gruesome crimes. And all this, as if that was not enough, in an oppressive, sticky, dark and dangerous environment such as the Bayou Breaux´s marshes.

It has been a difficult read, dark, violent and without a hint of hope. The heroine knows her way around a sexist and corrupt world, and violence against women is present in each passage of the story. Ms. Hoag does not hold back when it comes to calling things by its name, a breath of fresh air, if I may say so, and the best of the story. Some authors out there could learn a thing or two about chauvinism with this story, which although it was written more than 20 years ago, reveals a few uncomfortable truths. And here I was, cutting some slack some romances because they are dated ...

Take into account that there are no mobile phones here, the police work is hardly computerized and forget about GPS´s ... And people smoke anywhere ... You may will not believe it but it was what shocked me the most 😉

The story is more a suspense than a romance, but there is something of the latter, which makes the suspense more bearable.

To sum it up, another awesome author to follow, because if there is a thing to complain about the story is that it is a bit too much realistic… if that could be a bad thing…

[Philip · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book that I've read by Tami Hoag. I really enjoyed reading; it keep me in suspense. You think you have figured out who the murder is, some thing else points the finger at someone else in the book.
It is about a murder case that you following trying to find the truth. Deputy Annie Broussard is the one who finds the body, she is takes a stand against another cop, which causes her to become the enemy of some of her co-workers, then she starts to work with the cop, Nick, that she arrested for beating up on the prime suspect of the murder. Annie and Nick partner up, but each one take different leads in the case. Annie is put in a deadly game of cat and mouse with the prime suspect, which she believes that he is the one that committed the murder, but Nick follows is leads with the husband being the one who murdered his wife.
I thought I had the murdered solved, but I was sure surprised when I found out who the true murder was.

4.5 stars out of 5

[Vintage · Rating 3 out of 5]

After wallowing in a sea KU books, I forgot what a very good writer Tami Hoag is. She can string the suspense along as well as create a very creepy atmosphere. Fun reminder is she got her start writing romances, Loveswept no less.

There's a hint of romance here, but it's primarily a very creepy thriller/suspense story of who is the real killer. Toss in a TON of ver sadly very realistic 1990s misogyny of a woman trying to break into the detective ranks and it's a great read. The misogyny is tough to read as it's real and visceral, and this is in an era where fighting it could cause more problems than figuring out ways to circumvent it.

Recent Olympic controversy over Bob Ballard getting fired over a silly remark has been frustrating to me. There's a joke then there is real sexism. Some of the men are out there,but are a refection of what a real toxic male environment could be.

I've read darker, but there are some violent scenes so beware.

[Jeanne Adamek · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Larry Bassett · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am trying to mark this author in my memory as one to avoid in the future even if it is an audible book on sale. The book was published in 1997 and I would like to think this kind of style has gone out of style. The people in the book leaned heavily toward boorish and no one you would want to hang around with for long. A woman police officer being heaped on with garbage by her male colleagues. Crimes and threats against her and others ignored. Simply trash.

One character in the book is autistic. Probably portraying this kind of personality would be difficult for a skilled writer. This writer seem to hammer at the One or two things that she thought she knew about autism. I can only hope in the ensuing 20 years since this book was written she has learned a few things or learn to butt out when she doesn’t know some thing.

I gave this book two stars rather than one because it does have a beginning a middle and an end of sorts. I guess you could call it a surprise ending after pages and pages of effort to create diversions. Goodreads really only has one option if you don’t like a book: one star. The other four options are basically OK, good, very good, and excellent. So I am giving this an OK with some trepidation.

I can say without question that there is not even one character in this book that I found likable. As far as police departments go, the one described in this book has a startling number of indefensible characters.

[Patrice Hoffman · Rating 4 out of 5]

The ending was bitter/sweet for me. I won't go into specifics but I didn't think so much blood would be shed. I enjoyed this book because it was more of a suspense book than a romance book. Having the love/hate relationship I have with Romantic suspense made me a little skeptical... but all's well. I spent the last two weeks reading every Hoag book I have in my collection and I have to say this one ranks high on the list of the ones I enjoyed. Her writing is very fluid and I love the picture she paints of rural swamps outside of New Orleans. Makes me want to see the scenery from the comfort of my own living room where I know there won't be any aligators or snakes on my trail.

[Sherrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

My first Tami Hoag for many years and this one hasn't aged well. Storyline was ok but the book was too long. The culture of misogynistic male police officers is so old hat now. Their treatment of a female officer was annoying and frustrating. Having said that, I didn't guess the protagonist til the end, so she must have got something right!

[Edward · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very intense story about what happens when the choices a person makes take them over 'A Thin Dark Line'. For each main character in the book, once the choice is made they must live with the result to the best, or worst, of their ability.

A must read in my opinion if you like dark mysteries.

[DAISY READS HORROR · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW!!! What a fast paced thrilling ride this book to me on! I loved it!!!

[Barbara ★ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow what a book! Tami Hoag uses misdirection upon misdirection upon misdirection to confuse the shit out of you. Man, the story leads you in one direction, to one killer and then WHAM it's not him! And then there's another likely suspect and it's not him. again and again and again. I just love it. A Thin Dark Line really keeps you guessing right up until the final chapter. Again just WOW!

Deputy Annie Broussard gets entangled in the murder of Pam Bission since she is the one who found the body. Detective Nick Fourcade is prime on the case and goes over the line forcing his suspension. Annie is suspicious of the cop in charge and begins her own investigation. The interplay between Annie and Nick is fabulous and edgy as hell. Nick is a little crazy (well maybe a lot) and Annie is reluctant to get involved with him even if it is only for his investigation notes. I really liked Nick's edginess though it really made his job difficult. It did provide some great comic relief moments though.

A great story of murder, stalking, police brutality, vigilantism, conspiracy, harrassment and rape. This story had everything cops, lawyers, district attorneys, victims, crazy relatives and many many suspects. It's a book that you wanted to end just to find out who did it but you didn't want it to end because it was so exciting. Tami Hoag doesn't write romance novels but there is always some small element of romance included. Don't look for a HEA from Ms. Hoag but you'll definitely enjoy the story with or without it.

[Destiny · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a novelist, I strive for the talent Tami Hoag displays in this book. She tells the story so skill-fully that you cannot put the book down from beginning to end. The characters are complex and multi-dimentional, and I loved both of them for their strengths and their weaknesses. The ending is carried through to fulfilment, and I just love this book. It is my favourite. Tami Hoag is my favourite author. She is wonderful.
Comment

[Allyson · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF. 1/3 of the way through and I couldn’t finish it. I’m not sure if it’s the multiple points of view, or the writing itself, but it feels choppy and somehow very slow at the same time. I’m sick of the endless misogyny as well. I had high hopes - but it’s definitely time to move on to something better!

[Marty · Rating 1 out of 5]

A dear friend of mine (KEELY!) forced me to read this horrid book years ago... and I still haven't thought up an appropriate punishment.

[Mariam · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is unreal

[Jerry B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thrilling complex plot marred by ugliness, brutality, & hate...

This was our first crime thriller by Tami Hoag, but we can see why she is a successful author with over a dozen novels and a loyal fan base to her credit. Assuming "Thin Dark Line", set in Cajun Louisiana, is representative of her work, she crafts a complex, intriguing story that manages to hold one's interest until a suspenseful, twisty climax! In this tale, cops and potential perpetrators exchange roles so often one almost needs a scorecard to track the characters and who's out to get whom. Deputy Annie Broussard, for sure the heroine, is working secretly on her own to solve the murder of Pam Bichon, ostensibly killed in a brutal slaying at the hands of stalker Marcus Renard. After Renard gets off in court on a technicality, Detective Nick Fourcade nearly beats him to death, until Annie breaks it up and has to arrest her fellow officer for assault -- a step that severely alienates her with her already bigoted male colleagues. After both several more rape/murders, as well as numerous attacks on Annie, we don't know whether it's Renard, Fourcade, Bichon's husband, a copycat, or any number of suspicious cops (especially the womanizer Stokes) who may be the real bad guy. Whodunit is indeed a surprise, but only after Fourcade and Annie hookup, and work (and sleep!) together all book long chasing clues and red herrings alike.

We might have rated this book quite higher except for two gripes. Number one, the violence and ugliness, including obscenities and vulgarity, are really over the top - so ubiquitous in a book this long (just shy of 600 pages) it almost kept us from proceeding. Second, the combination of both man-hating on the part of virtually every woman character, and gender bashing by all the men on Annie, became so tiresome and offensive, we nearly quit on that score as well. Surely there's no place left in America where such overt and violent discrimination and harassment can occur with no one willing to step up and deal with it -- let's hope so anyway.

So all in all, a fine story along the lines of Patterson and Sandford's best work, but the entertainment value suffers to our taste from excessive vicious elements. Maybe the author herself crossed the "Dark Line" a few times during the word-craft!

[Delta · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

A Thin Dark Line was very slow getting to the action at the end, but I liked the vivid imagery and the sordid supporting characters (the heroine's cop co-workers). The bulk of story is spent in the detailed misdirection of suspicion to the various stalking/murder suspects. There was also very little time spent on the romance.

The overall tone of A Thin Dark Line was dark, and even the hero is more of an anti-hero who makes some self-righteous, relative moral judgments that impact others. A couple of the villainous characters also have white-hat moments (however brief) and formative events that made them the way they are elicit some sympathy. I do like it when the characters are complex--not just a simple white hatted hero and black hatted villain.

The pace of the story dragged the rating down; however, the world building, imagery, and character development are high quality. If you are looking for a fast paced, suspenseful thriller, this story is not it. If you would like to meander awhile in the vividly murky world of a small Louisiana community acting on fear and suspicion while a rapist and murderer is among them, then you may enjoy A Thin Dark Line.