Deep Dark - Book Review

By Laura Griffin

Synopsis

The moment detective Reed Novak steps onto the crime scene, he knows the case is going to rock his world. A beautiful young woman murdered at home. No sign of forced entry. No motive. She’s obviously not the killer’s first victim, and Reed’s instincts tell him she won’t be his last. Reed’s first clue comes via a mysterious text that links to a dating profile, but even more intriguing than the clue is the person who sent it.

As a white-hat hacker in the Delphi Center’s cyber investigation unit, Laney Knox sneaks into some of the deepest, darkest corners of the Internet looking for predators. Laney would prefer to stay away from Austin PD’s most recent murder case, but she can’t ignore the chilling similarities between that crime and her own brutal attack years ago. Laney offers to help the sexy lead detective, but he wants more from her than just a promising tip—Reed wants her trust. Laney resists, but as their relationship deepens she’s tempted to reveal the closely guarded secrets that could make her a key witness…or the killer’s next victim.

Review

How do you solve a murder when the killer has left absolutely no evidence behind? No DNA. No fingerprints. No weapon. No witnesses. Nothing. That’s what Detective Reed Novak and his department have to figure out. After Reed identifies Laney as the anonymous hacking tipster in his murder investigation, he reluctantly lets her in on the case until he discovers there could be a connection between her and the killer.

Despite the fifteen year age gap, Reed and Laney are quite similar. They’re both workaholics to the point where they don’t have many friends and they never have any food in the house. Work. Eat. Sleep. Repeat. I really liked Laney, who comes across as being much older than her 24 years. Maybe that’s because she’s kind of a genius, but I think it has more to do with what she’s seen and done over the years as a professional hacker. She’s a fighter (in more ways than one) and when she wants something, she has no problem going after it. She knew Reed wanted her but that he wouldn’t act on it, but she wanted him as well and she let him know it. What can I say about Reed Novak other than he has a sexy-as-fuck name? He’s a cop and a good one at that. He’s a simple guy, not flashy at all, and is very protective. I can’t think of anything else to say about Reed because I felt Laney stood out more than he did.

DEEP DARK is told in dual POVs and while it’s part of a series, it can be read as a stand-alone. The chemistry between Reed and Laney was off the charts and I loved the sexual tension that built up throughout the story, which is why it pains me to say that when they finally got down to business, the actual sex scenes were a little lacklustre. Blink and you’ll miss them. Other than that, DEEP DARK caught and held my attention, keeping me up until after midnight because I desperately needed to know who the killer was and how the story was going to end. This is the first book I’ve read from Laura Griffin and I would read more from her.