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Dark Fragments

Rob Sinclair (Goodreads Author)

3.68 · Rating details · 1,080 ratings · 111 reviews

Dark Fragments: an edge of your seat thriller from the best-selling author of The Enemy Series

Murder. Money. Revenge.

Outwardly, Ben Stephens appears to be a normal, hard-working family man. In reality, his life has been in turmoil since the murder of his wife, Alice, seven years ago. The killer was never caught.

Now re-married - to the woman he was having an affair with whi ...more

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Paperback, 301 pages

Published November 8th 2016 by Bloodhound Books

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Average rating 3.68 ·

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· 1,080 ratings · 111 reviews

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Oct 29, 2016 Sarah rated it really liked it

Shelves: fiction

I was really intrigued when starting this book as to who had killed Alice and why.

Ben has moved on with his life since his wife’s death with Gemma, the woman who he cheated on Alice with. They now have another child and Ben is trying his best to be a good father and husband but due to being in debt, his life seems to be crumbling apart.

I wanted to really like Ben, even though he comes across as a loving father, he is very selfish and I ended up disliking him a great deal the further into the nov ...more

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Nov 11, 2016 Joanne Robertson rated it really liked it

This is the first Rob Sinclair book I have read but my husband has read and enjoyed the Enemy series so that’s a good enough recommendation for me! Although this is promoted as a stand alone psychological thriller, it would be great if this was the start of a new series as there were certain characters here that I’d like to see again in the future especially if they were fleshed out a little bit next time.

Ben Stephens isn’t an ideal husband but he has had a pretty tough time of things recently. ...more

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Nov 22, 2016 Liz Barnsley rated it really liked it

Shelves: top-psychological-thriller, received-from-author

Really enjoyed Dark Fragments – another book that I read fast wanting to know the solution. Which actually was beautifully unexpected – I always like that.

I’m also fond of a good divisive character and Ben was definitely that. Told from his point of view at first you are sympathetic to his plight. But as things grow ever darker and his decision making becomes more erratic you’ll start to question his sanity. Mind you he has had rather a lot to deal with…

The short sharp chapters created a great p ...more

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Nov 09, 2016 Shell Baker rated it really liked it

Shelves: reading-challenge

First of all I have to say what a massive fan I am of the Enemy series. And if you are looking for Logan you will not find him in this story. You will find a character called Ben. Rob Sinclair has turned his hand at writing a Psychological thriller with this story which I thoroughly enjoyed keeping me entertained from start to finish in one afternoon. I simply couldn't put it down. Wanting to know what was going to happen with this intriguing story.

Told from Ben’s point of view we follow his sto ...more

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Nov 16, 2016 Best Crime Books & More rated it really liked it

I was a little undecided about this book but have decided 4/5 is a deserved rating. In this stand alone book we meet Ben Stephens whose life seems top be on an extremely hard and fast path downward. The reason I originally said I wasn't sure about the rating was the leas character himself. At time I couldn't feel anythimng than irritation at this man who seems pitiful at times. That aside, the book was written with a great pace and an easy flow to the writing. Once I was quite a few chapters in ...more

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Nov 17, 2016 Tulay rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Very interesting plot.

Had questions about this book from the beginning. Ben and his twin sister Dani, completely opposite of each other, and the women in Ben's life. About third of the way conversations with the psychiatric giveaway the ending to me. Ben is very angry man and can't control himself, disturbing and volatile character, but he loved his children. Really liked the way author wrote about him. Interesting story. ...more

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Nov 19, 2016 Caroline Vincent rated it it was amazing

What defines a man if not the decisions he has made in his life? When you grow up with loving parents, a devoted twin-sister and no care in the world: how did you become that man of the future, your present now, who ruins everything he touches? Do shocking events allow for a darker side of you to surface or is it your unique way of coping with grief and unhappiness? How far will you go in destroying the world, the people around you?

Rob Sinclair is painting a vivid, intriguing yet dramatic pictu What defines a man if not the decisions he has made in his life? When you grow up with loving parents, a devoted twin-sister and no care in the world: how did you become that man of the future, your present now, who ruins everything he touches? Do shocking events allow for a darker side of you to surface or is it your unique way of coping with grief and unhappiness? How far will you go in destroying the world, the people around you?

Rob Sinclair is painting a vivid, intriguing yet dramatic picture of Ben Stephens, his upbringing, his relationships, firstly with his sister, later his two wives (subsequently!) and then his children Harry and Chloe. You would think he had it all, wouldn't you? So why is it the reader is confronted with someone asking him questions throughout the book, is it a Therapist perhaps? The questions and Ben's inner search to produce the answers take us, the readers, back to the different times in his life, when he was happy, before everything fell apart, went horribly wrong.

Upon reviewing Ben Stephens' life it can be established that he had loving parents, a twin-sister who cared for him and protected him, a good education, a steady job and a promising career. The only thing missing for Ben and his wife Alice is a child. Things are getting a bit strained, all the more when Alice has a “one off” with a colleague. Ben is livid. He needs to do something with his feelings of anger, of betrayal and hurt. In a drunken stupor he makes a life changing decision: to contact Callum O'Brady, gangster, criminal and downright thug. Is Ben's almost uncontrollable anger leading him into a path of destruction?

It must be because in the very first chapters of the book Ben is fearing O'Brady's men approaching him. What has happened between the two men in the eight years since their first meeting? It has been seven years ago when Ben "would find Alice murdered", the murderer was never caught. The Ben we see now is a shattered man, blown away by the violent death of his soul mate Alice. She betrayed him, but Alice and Ben decided to put it behind them, to focus on their future as a family.
Slowly the story unravels before the reader's eyes: every time Ben talks to the so-called Therapist, or at least we assume it is one, there is a fragment of his life revealed. There must have been happy days, no doubt, but what first seems to be a story of love and a life somehow going wrong turns out to be a tale of fragments, dark enough to negatively influence not only Ben's but so many other lives. There is still no inkling as to the relationship between O'Brady and Ben, the circumstances of Alice's murder and why Ben and his twin-sister are estranged from each other.

The frightening thing for the reader to notice, is the untold series of outbreaks and violence, the vengeful events revealed, unfolding before the readers' eyes and we fear it will be getting much more complicated before the book is over. At first it seems Ben is a victim of the circumstances, the horrible and violent death of his wife, the widower with his one-year old baby boy, something you’d not wish upon anyone. It is admirable that he has picked up the pieces, has remarried to Gemma with whom he has a little daughter Chloe. But every time Ben is asked a question about how he feels, somehow the answers are not giving any insight, are evasive or lacking in empathy.

The reader gets the chilling feeling that there’s a discrepancy between what Ben is telling and what he is saying, a violent undercurrent, barely recognizable at first, but getting stronger with each chapter in the book. What exactly is the nature of Ben’s entanglement with O’Brady and why can’t we as readers shake that little voice in our heads telling us that disquieting and shocking disclosures are yet to follow. I found this psychological novel utterly disturbing and profoundly shocking - especially towards the culminating explosion of violence.

You can also read the review on my website: http://www.bitsaboutbooks.net/dark-fr...
...more

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Nov 02, 2016 Wendy rated it really liked it

Whatever the opposite of the ‘Midas Touch’ is, Ben Stephens has perfected it. The brutal murderer of his first wife has never been caught, he’s constantly walking in the shadow of his twin sister, he works for his filthy rich father-in-law with dubious degrees of success, and has accrued massive personal debt. In fact, none of his efforts have made a positive impact on the world lately.

Tired of being herded in ways he doesn’t want to go, despondency erupts into rage causing him to take some pret Whatever the opposite of the ‘Midas Touch’ is, Ben Stephens has perfected it. The brutal murderer of his first wife has never been caught, he’s constantly walking in the shadow of his twin sister, he works for his filthy rich father-in-law with dubious degrees of success, and has accrued massive personal debt. In fact, none of his efforts have made a positive impact on the world lately.

Tired of being herded in ways he doesn’t want to go, despondency erupts into rage causing him to take some pretty drastic action to try and regain control. The effectiveness of his decisions remains to be seen throughout as he gets very few lifelines thrown to him due to his reckless efforts.

Several laws are broken, as are noses, provoking unwanted interest from his detective sister, who is another source of irritation for Ben. It's all he needs while the unsavoury characters he’s had the misfortune to become involved with are trying to flush his life down the pan.

I was intrigued to learn whether Ben was brave, desperate, or just plain foolish. I mean why else would a placid bloke with a wife, two kids and a mortgage end up crossing the path of one of the most notoriously dangerous men in Birmingham? Well, the scenario of anybody finding themselves in the situations Ben Stephens did feel a little ludicrous at first. But as he is pursued by bad luck (most of it self-inflicted) and questionable decision making (most definitely self-inflicted) his story intensifies and begins to hint at the reasons behind his quest for retribution and personal salvation.

As the story is told in the first person it feels slightly intrusive to be in the thick of things - it’s almost uncomfortable at times, especially when events go from bad to worse. These events are peppered with interviews between an unnamed source who attempts to encourage our man to validate his actions. The casual and insightful exchanges gnaw away the layers of Ben’s problems to reveal the true strength of his character and put a whole new spin on his story.

For a while I was only getting a flicker of a connection from the characters and just when I was on the verge of becoming furious with them for holding me at arm’s length everything ignited, big time.

Dark Fragments is extreme life wrestling in every possible way. It's one man’s persistence to challenge his failures, yet he opts for the way only a disturbed professional should attempt. With his judgment clouded his mind goes off-piste until he's truly lost and he's left clutching at the shards of his life with both hands - and the outcome is startlingly unexpected.

Well worth a read if you get the opportunity.

(I received a digital copy of this title direct from the author with my thanks, and this is my unbiased review.)
...more

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Nov 08, 2016 Janie Johnson rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2016

I received this book in exchange for an honest review. This is the first time I have read anything by this author.

Synopsis
Murder. Money. Revenge.

Outwardly, Ben Stephens appears to be a normal, hard-working family man. In reality, his life has been in turmoil since the murder of his wife, Alice, seven years ago. The killer was never caught.

Now re-married - to the woman he was having an affair with while still married to Alice - Ben’s life is once again spiralling out of control, and he’s become I received this book in exchange for an honest review. This is the first time I have read anything by this author.

Synopsis
Murder. Money. Revenge.

Outwardly, Ben Stephens appears to be a normal, hard-working family man. In reality, his life has been in turmoil since the murder of his wife, Alice, seven years ago. The killer was never caught.

Now re-married - to the woman he was having an affair with while still married to Alice - Ben’s life is once again spiralling out of control, and he’s become heavily indebted to an unscrupulous criminal who is baying for Ben’s blood.

When Ben’s estranged twin sister, a police detective, unexpectedly returns to his life, asking too many questions for comfort, it becomes clear that without action, Ben’s life will soon reach a crisis point from which there will be no return.

In order to avoid falling further into the mire, Ben must examine the past if he is to survive the present - but just how much pressure can one man take before he breaks?

I was unsure about the plot of the story when I started to read it. I do have to say though that this is a very fast paced story. It moves very quickly and will keep the attention of most readers. I am just not sure if it was the story for me. I love thrillers, but I did not like the 'mobbish' elements to this story. The mystery in the story however, was good, I enjoyed that part of it a lot. Although it was somewhat predictable I did enjoy it for the most part. I found the imagery to be very good in this story as well. It sets the scene up nicely for readers when you can envision things that are happening in the story, like you are living it.

I have to say I did not like the main character of this story at all. I am sure though that it was the authors intention for Ben to be viewed this way. At one point you want to feel bad for him, but then he does something that made me want to kill him myself. He seemed to not be very good control of himself most of the time and seemed to think that he was right in his thinking no matter what. I did enjoyed the female characters a bit more though. They were pretty strong, well developed characters.

This could have easily been a 5 star book had I liked the character, but really he just annoyed me if anything. It also could have easily been a 3 star rating, since I did not like the mob feel to the book, but because of the other elements and the fast paced action it keep my attention well so gets the 4 star rating. I can recommend this book to anyone who loves thrillers/mystery. It will keep readers engaged. ...more

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Nov 05, 2016 Kate~Bibliophile Book Club rated it liked it

Having read and loved the first book in the Enemy series (I haven’t had a chance to get to the second and third books yet!!!) from Rob Sinclair I was really excited to hear he was switching up genres and moving into psych thrillers. Lately, this genre seems to be my most read so I was delighted to be given a chance to read it.

Dark Fragments focuses on Ben Stephens and the problems he is facing in his life. Falling apart at the seams, Stephens finds himself in big trouble with the wrong people, w ...more

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Nov 12, 2016 Susan Hampson rated it it was amazing

Shelves: author-reads

This is the first book of Rob Sinclair that I have read and my very first thought was how absolutely delighted I was that I had already purchased the whole Enemy series because I wanted more. I found this story captivating from the very beginning as my heart broke for a man talking with what I believe was a counsellor of some sorts. Such a tragic opening. Rob Sinclair had me and what started out as sympathy ended up whisking all of my emotions into a frenzy before the story came to an end.
The st ...more

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Nov 12, 2016 Leona rated it it was amazing

Having read and loved Rob Sinclairs enemy series I was thrilled to receive an ARC of this to review. I certainly wasn't disappointed. This was another fantastic book by this author. It was a complete page turner and although I absolutely detested the main character the book was unputdownable. The way the author developed the characters was brilliant. Very few of them were likeable but that was all relative to the story. I would highly recommend this book if you enjoy a good crime / psychological ...more

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Nov 11, 2016 Melanie Lewis rated it it was amazing

Very rarely do I agree with the strap line of a book, but this hits the nail on the head. A very fast paced psychological thriller, which twists and turns all over the place and leaves you breathless, shocked and dumbfounded. I daren't say too much for fear of spoilers. But I read this book in a day, I simply couldn't put it down. Well written, very fast paced, every page is a revelation. Well done Mr Sinclair - This is a hit!! ...more

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Dec 03, 2016 Mo rated it really liked it

God how I despised the main character Ben in this book but the authors writing skill keeps you reading and wanting more . Ben sees his first wife dead murdered in their own home .. fast forward to his current life . Shaky marriage , two children , a mountain of debts , a criminal friend and a detective twin sister .. and so the story begins .. my first book from this author and I'm sure to try more. Thanks to tbc for my copy in exchange for an honest review ...more

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Nov 01, 2016 Val rated it it was amazing

Enjoyed this rollercoaster read. Thank you Bloodhound for the ARC. Ben goes from one disaster to another but I didn't see that end coming! There are some despicable characters in this fast paced thriller. ...more

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Nov 15, 2016 Sarah rated it it was amazing

Amazing book that will keep you gripped and guessing right until the end

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Jun 15, 2017 Elaine rated it really liked it

It all went a bit bonkers at the end ! Decent enough read though

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Jan 13, 2017 Elisabet rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: read-audiobook-enska, tbc-arc, tbc-höfundur

Thanks to TBConFB I got to listen to this audio book. Wow! The narrator did a very good and believable job as Ben. The book started out as a story about a man in live crises so to speak. He was struggling to joggle live, family, work, money and everything normal live struggles. He was a widower who remarried and still loved his late wife very much. But of course since this was a thriller, his life got to be so much more adventurous. I can recommend Dark Fragments to everyone who wants to hear or ...more

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Nov 04, 2016 Jackie Law rated it it was amazing

Dark Fragments, by Rob Sinclair, is the first standalone thriller written by the author of the popular ‘Enemy’ trilogy. It introduces a protagonist who at first appears to be a standard issue male. He has macho tendencies but displays many weaknesses. He has suffered personal tragedy for which it is hard not to feel sympathy. Somehow he has become indebted to a barbarous crook. His attempts to extricate himself further complicate his life which is slowly falling apart.

Ben Stephens loves his fami Dark Fragments, by Rob Sinclair, is the first standalone thriller written by the author of the popular ‘Enemy’ trilogy. It introduces a protagonist who at first appears to be a standard issue male. He has macho tendencies but displays many weaknesses. He has suffered personal tragedy for which it is hard not to feel sympathy. Somehow he has become indebted to a barbarous crook. His attempts to extricate himself further complicate his life which is slowly falling apart.

Ben Stephens loves his family. His beautiful wife is a good mother to their two children. The elder child’s birth mother was Ben’s first wife who was murdered in the couple’s bed seven years ago. Since that event Ben has struggled. Not only does he owe a serious amount of money but his potentially high flying career has stalled and now his second marriage is faltering. He appears craven, needing others to validate his existence. He blames everyone but himself for his position, justifying each ill-advised move he makes as necessary at the time due to the unfair manner in which he was being treated.

It becomes clear that Ben is possessive and seemingly incapable of shouldering responsibility. He is resentful of other’s successes believing himself more capable, more deserving and with better taste. Although arrogant, arrogance in others angers him. He allows perceived slights to fester.

Ben has a twin sister who he has neither seen nor spoken to in four years. He believes that she was favoured by their parents and blames her for their apparent inability to recognise and celebrate his potential. When she appears on his doorstep with an offer to help with Ben’s current dilemmas he suspects an ulterior motive.

Ben is trying to solve his problems by taking matters into his own hands. His actions draw the attention of the police. When the women in his life try to reason with him their words do not register. Always the focus must be on him. He begrudges their personal concerns when he needs their support, despite having put them in danger. When asked why he acts so foolishly he always replies:

“It’s hard to explain”

To which his sister retorts

“No, it’s not. What’s difficult is you getting over yourself.”

Ben feels hard done by when he is treated with contempt. He is angry and revengeful. His narcissism builds to a disturbing crescendo leading to an explosive denouement.

There is a chilling slow build with an expertly crafted unreliable narrator. Interspersed with the chapters written from Ben’s point of view are a conversation with what appears to be a therapist. She is being told a version of the truth, and Ben’s history is revealed.

I moved from sympathy to irritation to horror as the story progressed. This is a tale that may disturb, but is ultimately a clever and satisfying read.

My copy of this book was provided gratis by the author. ...more

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Nov 23, 2016 Tina Williams rated it it was amazing

Addictive and Action Packed!
This is a fast-paced psychological crime thriller that sucked me in and left me gob-smacked with its unexpected dénouement. It contains a flawlessly constructed and suspenseful plot that kept me guessing throughout.
Ben appears to be just your average hardworking guy with a wife and young family. Yet we soon find out that his first wife Alice was brutally murdered seven years previously, an episode that preys on Ben’s mind, particularly as the murderer has not been fou Addictive and Action Packed!
This is a fast-paced psychological crime thriller that sucked me in and left me gob-smacked with its unexpected dénouement. It contains a flawlessly constructed and suspenseful plot that kept me guessing throughout.
Ben appears to be just your average hardworking guy with a wife and young family. Yet we soon find out that his first wife Alice was brutally murdered seven years previously, an episode that preys on Ben’s mind, particularly as the murderer has not been found. Ben’s marriage to Gemma, the woman with whom he was having an affair with when Alice was murdered, is far from rosy and his job is in the doldrums. Crucially the reappearance of Callum O’Grady, a crime lord to whom he turned to after Alice’s murder, puts Ben on the defensive and in fear of his safety and that of his family. At the same time Dani, his estranged twin sister, a detective inspector, walks back into his life.
It soon becomes clear that her reappearance is not a coincidence and Ben struggles to cope with current and past events, all of which shape his actions. He is under unimaginable pressure and despite his best intentions his life very quickly spirals out of control until he reaches his breaking point which has implications for all around him.
Once I started to read the novel I was hooked, not only due to the unfolding plot but also to the way it is written. The story is told in short punchy chapters, narrated in the first person point of view, by the protagonist Ben Stephens. Some chapters are written as the main events unfold and others retrospectively, as Ben is encouraged to reflect on what has happened, with a person whose identity we can only guess at. This has the effect of creating a suspenseful read, not only allowing us into Ben’s thought processes, but often foreshadowing events and putting a different perspective on what we have just witnessed.
There are some violent and disturbing scenes in the book but they are integral to the plot. I found myself at first rooting for and then cringing at Ben’s actions in response to events as the tale unfolded.
I will not reveal any more. It is enough to say that I hugely enjoyed this read. The characterisations, particularly that of the volatile Ben, are superb and the plot clever and suspenseful. It left me wondering to what extent we are all victims of fate or whether we ultimately have control over events.
Recommended for fans of crime thrillers, particularly those who like a psychological read. Please note, a copy of this book was given to me by the author for the purpose of a fair and honest review. ...more

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Nov 08, 2016 David Baird rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

First off I must admit I’m new to Rob’s work but I’ve heard many a good thing about his work so when I was offered the chance to review this book I jumped at it to see what all the fuss was about.

Did Rob live up to expectations? More than I could have imagined!

The book follows Ben. His past is marred by the death of his wife but we quickly learn that over time he has moved on.. the tone of the book is set early on and you know things won’t turn out rosy for Ben.

He's is in deep with a local crimi First off I must admit I’m new to Rob’s work but I’ve heard many a good thing about his work so when I was offered the chance to review this book I jumped at it to see what all the fuss was about.

Did Rob live up to expectations? More than I could have imagined!

The book follows Ben. His past is marred by the death of his wife but we quickly learn that over time he has moved on.. the tone of the book is set early on and you know things won’t turn out rosy for Ben.

He's is in deep with a local criminal.. who may have links to his murdered wife and Ben’s estranged sister is keen as a detective to exploit her brother..go down that rabbit hole and see what she can find..

Along the way Ben’s character gets darker. He’s holding a lot of the puzzle pieces but we have to wait for things to be pieced together. This suspense was done perfectly. Just the right amount to keep me reading without me getting bored.

One of the best things about the story has to be the plot itself, so well written and one hell of a twist thrown in at the end!

I really enjoyed this book being told from Ben’s perspective also, we really see him fragment as his world falls apart. There’s a lot going on in Ben's personal life and his sister opening old wounds shatters this perfect life he's hoping for. His kids mean the world to him and you really feel for him at times.

Since the focus of the tale was on Ben few characters have enough word count to develop but the story didn’t need it... it's his tale.. and i loved it.

At one point I did wonder why Ben and his twin sister didn’t get along; I didn’t quite understand why the author didn’t build on this but the author gives small slithers of info as the book goes along that gather to make the full picture.. in the end everything becomes clear and you have that “Oh My” moment when clarity hits.

I’ve wanted to read some of Robs work for a while now and I’m very glad I finally had the chance.

A brilliant and well thought out story that had me interested from the start. Great development of the lead character and one hell of a finish leaves me in no doubt I’ll read this authors work again.

My thanks go to the author for the chance to read/review their work. An ARC by no means guarantees a good review and i look forward to reviewing the authors previous works which i gladly paid for :) ...more

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Nov 08, 2016 Cathy Ryan rated it really liked it

Shelves: crime-suspense, crime-thriller

Ben Stephens’ life has never been the same since he discovered his wife’s body in their bed, although he has subsequently remarried to Gemma, the woman he was having an affair with during his marriage to Alice. Ben works, under sufferance on both sides, for his wife’s father but his career has taken a downturn as well as his marriage to Gemma, and to top it all off he’s involved in a ‘business venture’ with a well known, very dangerous criminal and is in serious debt. Ben visits Alice’s grave re Ben Stephens’ life has never been the same since he discovered his wife’s body in their bed, although he has subsequently remarried to Gemma, the woman he was having an affair with during his marriage to Alice. Ben works, under sufferance on both sides, for his wife’s father but his career has taken a downturn as well as his marriage to Gemma, and to top it all off he’s involved in a ‘business venture’ with a well known, very dangerous criminal and is in serious debt. Ben visits Alice’s grave regularly and when he’s followed there on one occasion, and his family threatened he desperately considers his options.

Ever since they were children Ben has felt second best to his successful and now estranged twin, Dani, a police detective who was Alice’s best friend. When Dani visits out of the blue with too many uncomfortable questions for Ben, events unfold dramatically and Ben has decisions to make. Whether or not he makes the right ones only time will tell.

The fast paced story is narrated by Ben, so his viewpoint is biased. The chapters are short and sharp, interspersed with sections where Ben is speaking with someone, giving the impression of a psychiatrist or therapist, about his life, dissecting his behaviour and the self-imposed and very dubious events which culminate in his current circumstances.

Initially I felt sympathy for Ben, with the tragedy he suffered and the situation he was in, but as the story progresses his behaviour escalates in a terrifying way, becoming more and more erratic as his rage and weakness control his actions and bounce him from one dire situation to another. His attitude is superior and seemingly without any sense of culpability, blaming everything and everybody but himself for his troubles and expecting support from those around him regardless. His desire for retribution for supposed wrongs fuels his egocentric tendencies. I have to say, sympathy didn’t last very long and I found myself becoming more shocked and disbelieving.

Ben’s disturbing and volatile character is portrayed extremely well….his only redeeming feature is his love for his children. The plot is full of twists and turns and I would never have guessed that ending!

Reviewed for Rosie Amber’s book review team and based on an advanced reader copy from the author. This does not affect my opinion or the content of my review. ...more

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Oct 27, 2016 Bev rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2016-read

Many thanks to publishers Bloodhound Books for providing me a copy of this book to read and review. My thanks also to Rob Sinclair.

After reading all Rob's other books and loving the Carl Logan series, I was initially a bit skeptical about reading this book. It is a standalone book and a different style from what I have been used to previously by this author. However, this was not a disappointment, in fact I loved loved loved it.

The story centres around Ben, a man with a lot on his mind. First ...more

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Nov 07, 2016 Jackie P. rated it it was amazing

Before diving into my review, I feel like I need to tell you guys how high my expectations were for this book. I have been a fan of Sinclair's work since reading the Enemy series. To say I was thrilled when I found out he was writing another book would be an understatement. The Enemy series was different from anything I had previously read so I had no idea what to expect of Dark Fragments.

One of the magical things I love about reading is when you find yourself swept away by a book without even ...more

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Oct 27, 2016 Nicki Southwell rated it it was amazing

Shelves: my-reviews, crime-thrillers

I was really looking forward to reading this and it did not disappoint. I had no idea that it would end as it did. Thrilling.

Ben is an ordinary man who is married, with two children that he loves. Gemma is his second wife and the mother of his second child. His first wife, Alice, was killed when their baby was one-year-old. He thought he would never recover. He did.

His life quickly spirals out of control. Alice's one night stand was the first indiscretion and he did not handle it well. He sought ...more

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Oct 28, 2016 Claire rated it really liked it

Shelves: from-the-publisher, 2016-book

I loved the Enemy trilogy featuring the rugged Carl Logan so I was very keen to read this new offering from Rob Sinclair. It's a change of direction for the author. There's still an element of action but less James Bond to the story, more crime, intrigue, gangsters and twists.

Our main man Ben has a lot on his mind, the rather large debt he owes, the unsolved murder of his first wife and life with his second wife isn't as peachy as it could be. To be fair Ben is an idiot, he thinks he can get him ...more

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Nov 02, 2016 Misfits farm rated it really liked it

Ben is in a nightmare. His previous wife was killed right next to him. He is having anger issues and lashing out. His boss is his current wife’s father- that’s how they met. He also owes a “businessman” money- a lot of money. His life is getting way out of control and he needs to sort himself out however the current issues have to dealt with first as otherwise there will be consequences and possibly of a grave nature.
This is a compelling read. Short snappy chapters that lead you on wanting to kn ...more

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Dec 08, 2016 Timea rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I listened to the audio book version of this novel and liked it a lot! The narrator is brilliant; he really nailed Ben's character and made listening to the story very enjoyable.
Ben, on the other hand, doesn't have many enjoyable moments nowadays. His life has been a roller-coaster ride since his wife was brutally murdered and he seems to be going downhill pretty fast. He feels like the whole world is out to get him and it's up to him to seek revenge, sort things out and get his happy ending. Un ...more

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Nov 06, 2016 Susan Hunter rated it it was amazing

I was very curious to read this book as I loved The Enemy Series and Carl Logan is one of my heroes.
This new read is completely different, but just as good as The Enemy series.
This is a fast paced thriller which leaves you breathless.
Nothing seems to go right in the life of Ben Stephens, since the murder of his wife Alice, seven years earlier.
Now another murder has taken place with similarities to Alice Stephens.
As Ben gets into one scrape after another, you have to wonder where it is going ...more

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Nov 16, 2016 Samantha Borthwick rated it it was amazing

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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About Rob Sinclair

Rob Sinclair

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Rob is the author of the critically acclaimed and bestselling Enemy series and James Ryker series of espionage thrillers. His books have sold over half a million copies to date with many reviewers and readers having likened Rob's work to authors at the very top of the genre, including Lee Child and Vince Flynn.

Rob began writing in 2009 following a promise to his wife, an avid reader, that he cou ...more