Brandon Barrows: The Darker The Night

 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/222446329-the-darker-the-night

Book Blurb:

Matt Allen knew it wouldn’t be easy convincing his ex-wife Lilly that their son should have a chance to live with his dad, at least for a little while. He’s been gone four years, but he’s back now. The divorce had been bitter, so of course Lilly is dead set against the idea.

Except… Now she’s just dead, and Matt is the prime suspect.

Only he and the real killer know he’s innocent.

Tropes:

*Mystery *crime fiction *💀 Mystery *Wrong Man Accused *Everyman Protagonist

*Intergenerational trauma *Relatable Family Ties *State Challenge Michigan

*whodunit *noir vibes *Femme fatale 

Thoughts:

When Matt Allen returned to Michigan to see his son after 4 years living away in Boston he had hoped to have the chance to be there for his son in a way that he hadn't been able to previously... 4 years is a long time of just screen time and hoping that his ex-wife Lilly would be willing to allow at least partial custody he shows up with high expectations.

A lot has changed... but one thing hasn't Lilly she's still sinking her claws into unsuspecting men, he knows how hard she is to resist he was in her clutches once and the divorce was hard on both of them... but she seemed to land on her feet just fine with a wealthy new husband shortly after their divorce seems like she didn't even let the ink dry on their paperwork.

Matt and Lilly have a checkered past she did humiliate him by cheating on him with a line of men but Matt is looking towards the future and hopes that Lilly will give him the chance to spend more time with their son.  Before he even gets a chance to really talk to her about it she ends up dead... and he is the prime suspect.

Matt determined to clear his own name begins his own investigations and discovers that Lilly while he knew she wasn't an angel has been up to shady business... including continuing to go thru men after her 2nd husband had a suspicious accident (leading to his early demise) her most recent man has a temper... but he isn't the only one who had something against Lilly.  

While Matt's back in town we're introduced to his ex Lilly, their son, His best friend and sister in-law Sheila and her husband Steve along with a line up of others that have their own motives where Lilly being gone would benefit them.

When more people begin to turn up dead... Matt knows that his time to find out who is behind this is limited what if he's next?  

We as the reader are with Matt so we know he isn't the true suspect but this mystery kept me on the edge of my seat wanting to find out who it could be and just when I thought I knew who the true suspect was another twist came showing that maybe it wasn't them at all... but if not then who did it?

I truly enjoyed this book, I love a good mystery that truly makes you think it could be anyone so it's that much more surprising to find out who it is at the end!  

Have you read this one?  What did you think?  

Faridah Abike-Iyimide: The Heirs

 https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/237615201-the-heirs

Book Blurb:

A mystery about five teen geniuses, their billionaire father, and the investigation into his murder.
Five prodigies, one dead father, a mansion full of suspects…

Octavius the Maestro.
Fola the Brain.
Bilal the Olympian.
Perdita the Artist.
Romeo the Failure.

These are the five heirs of the illustrious billionaire Leontes Button. Adopted and viciously trained with their father’s infamous “Button Method” to prove his hypothesis for creating prodigies—child geniuses—the Button siblings have had no choice but to be brilliant according to their father's impossibly high standards.

Until he is murdered at his annual Prodigy Ball.

Now, all who attended the ball are required to stay in the Button Manor while the police investigate. But the officers have their work cut out for them—each of the Button siblings has something to hide, but The Heirs aren't the only ones with secrets. After all, Leontes Button was especially good at making enemies. . .

*💀 mystery  *Netgalley ALC 8/12  *crime fiction  *Thriller  *close proximity (yacht) *family drama  *Lots of secrets  *back and forth time line between events *young adult *life of privilege *locked room mystery  *sapphic representation & M/M representation *no spice  *State Challenge New York (Repeat)

Thoughts:

I requested this ALC from Netgalley based on the description I occasionally leave romance for a mystery/thriller and I wasn't disappointed.  This was a situation where we have Billionaire Leontes Button he has made many headlines over the years with one of the top stories being how he decided to adopt 5 children putting them all through grueling training schedules over many years so they would be the best of the best of the best (prodigies) naturally he named this method after himself "The Button Method."

While he was very tough on all of his children no one makes it to the top without making at least a few enemies.  This years annual Prodigy Ball starts off and ends with some fireworks an unapproved member of the press gets into the conference and asks accusatory questions to Leontes... this being the last question prior to the ball itself which is to take place on a yacht.

The story itself reminded me of a Murder on the Orient Express or a Knives Out situation where there are multiple people who could potentially be the actual suspect, when there is a lot of money involved claws come out and the story was told in a non-linear fashion going from the past to the present to weave together what led up to the crime along with what is happening in the present.

The main characters (3 brothers and 2 sisters) are all still teenagers but read more like they are in their 40s they have had enough of everything, don't want to be in the lime light anymore and they are tired of all the pressure that's been put on them for years.    The book spends a lot of time providing a character study on the brothers and sisters so long that it takes a bit to get to the actual meat of the story... who unalived their father?  

While I didn't dislike the story it took me awhile to get into it, there were so many characters introduced it was at times hard to remember who was who (especially with all the nicknames the kids were given) and the POV kept switching as well to include one of the staff members daughters who was conducting her own investigation during the police investigation and Henry their father's right hand man (secretary) and longest standing employee (essentially the kids second father).  I think the story would have benefitted from less POV's and subplots to sift through so more attention could be given to building up the mystery.  

I did feel everything wrapped up well and I appreciated the siblings coming together to rebuild their relationship, they needed to rely on each other for support after losing their father in such a terrible way. 

Thank you netgalley and the author for allowing me an early listen copy!  

Have you read this one?  What did you think?