Darkness Falls

In 2002, as revealed in the prologue of Bryndza’s gripping third Kate Marshall thriller (after 2020’s Shadow Sands), journalist Joanna Duncan was strangled in a car park in Exeter, England. Her killer ensured her body was never found. Now, in 2015, Joanna’s still-grieving mother hires Kate to bring closure to the cold case. Ex-cop Kate, who survived a long-ago affair with a serial killer, has recently started a PI agency with her friend Tristan Harper. Even with access to files of the official police investigation into Joanna’s disappearance, Kate and Tristan face difficulties as they interview people who knew Joanna and reexamine details of the presumed crime. Meanwhile, in a parallel narrative, a man who calls himself Tom kidnaps, tortures, and kills an acquaintance. The tension rises as it becomes obvious Joanna’s murderer was a serial killer who is still active. Kate’s traumatic past makes her anxious, but doesn’t stop her from doing all she can. Even the murderer turns out to be as much tormented as monstrous. Readers will look forward to seeing more of the empathetic Kate. Agent: Ariella Feiner, United Agents (U.K.). (Dec.)