Author: Tami Hoag
Publisher: Dutton Adult
Date of Publication: December 2011
Four years after the unsolved disappearance of her sixteen-year-old daughter, Lauren Lawton is the only one still chasing the ghosts of her perfect Santa Barbara life. The world has given her daughter up for dead. Her husband ended his own life in the aftermath. Even Lauren's younger daughter is desperate to find what's left of the childhood she hasn't been allowed to have.
Lauren knows exactly who took her oldest child, but there is not a shred of evidence against the man. Even as he stalks her family, Lauren is powerless to stop him. The Santa Barbara police are handcuffed by the very laws they are sworn to uphold. Looking for a fresh start in a town with no memories, Lauren and her younger daughter Leah move to idyllic Oak Knoll. But when Lauren's suspect turns up in the same city, it feels to all the world that history is about to repeat itself. Leah Lawton will soon turn sixteen, and Oak Knoll has a cunning predator on the hunt.
Sheriff's detective Tony Mendez and his team begin to close in on the suspected killer, desperate to keep the young women of their picturesque town safe. But as the investigators sift through the murky circumstances of an increasingly disturbing case, a stunning question changes everything they thought they knew.
Lauren knows exactly who took her oldest child, but there is not a shred of evidence against the man. Even as he stalks her family, Lauren is powerless to stop him. The Santa Barbara police are handcuffed by the very laws they are sworn to uphold. Looking for a fresh start in a town with no memories, Lauren and her younger daughter Leah move to idyllic Oak Knoll. But when Lauren's suspect turns up in the same city, it feels to all the world that history is about to repeat itself. Leah Lawton will soon turn sixteen, and Oak Knoll has a cunning predator on the hunt.
Sheriff's detective Tony Mendez and his team begin to close in on the suspected killer, desperate to keep the young women of their picturesque town safe. But as the investigators sift through the murky circumstances of an increasingly disturbing case, a stunning question changes everything they thought they knew.
Down the Darkest Road is the third book in the Oak Knoll series. I have enjoyed the series so far and this one was no exception. While you basically know who the "killer" is from the start, the journey to catching him is very exciting. Ms. Hoag throws in a few twists that had me surprised. The reader also gets glimpses of past characters, which is always nice to see. The book is set in the early 90s when technology isn't up to today's level. It was refreshing to see them solve the mystery without the use of high tech equipment and super fast computers.
While I enjoyed this one, I really felt the loss of the romantic element in the book. There is really no love interest for Tony, just the smallest hint of one. I would have liked to see him find someone in this book. Maybe in the next one? I listened to the audio version and it was very good. While it is the 3rd in a series, I do feel that it could be a stand alone novel. There is enough background presented that the reader doesn't feel lost.
I do like when we know who the killer is sometimes, it can be exciting.
ReplyDeleteI have Ashes to Ashes to read from her, think thats the title.