A bit of a chore, especially the first third of the book.
It is well written and very well researched (to the extent that I can tell), but it felt too constructed and not natural enough. ( )

Started well, then became rather plodding...there were no clues for the reader;
I became slightly bored reading this book. Just before the end it became more
interesting; not sure I'd bother with another book by this author. ( )

The Dark Inside – A Thrilling Debut

The Dark Inside is the thrilling debut from Rod Reynolds, based loosely on events known as the Texarkana Moonlight Murders in 1946. What he has done has written an exciting fast paced novel, outside the usual police procedural novel and unlike the real murders which were unsolved, we are made to look harder at this split city and the people that live there.

Charlie Yates had worked the crime beat at the Examiner in New York before he disgraced himself and had been sent south out of the way of the editor. He is sent to cover the murders of two couples over two weekends and if he is lucky the editor might print what he writes. His first impression of the town is not a good one especially as a dog is cocking its leg on the sign at the city limits.

Yates finds that he is not welcome at the Chronicle which is supposed to be his base while he is in Texarkana and has been put up at the Mason Hotel where every other local journalist is based. What he finds is that it is a town full of secrets that is not open to an outsider such as himself. But with the help of Lizzie the sister of one of the victims, Alice, he is about to redeem himself and his perceived cowardice.

Yates, who is not in Texarkana by choice, discovers that it is a town full of secrets and those secrets have their own protectors who will go to any length to keep things quiet. Yates through a mixture of cowardice and bravado wants to find the truth while managing to stay out of the way of the local police chiefs who clearly do not like him.

In a town full of Gis coming home from war, either using the place as a stopover or working at a local supply base he knows somehow are linked to the crimes. The only problem is there are plenty of dead ends and beatings for him, as he endeavours to find the truth. While at the same time his personal life is in crisis and collapsing can he save himself at the same time?

As the story draws you in the more you want Charlie Yates to succeed and absolve himself and solve the crime. Whether he does you will have to read this fast paced exciting thriller and take a step back in time. What Reynolds has given the reader is an exciting read, not knowing who he can trust with a few interesting twists and turns.

The Dark Inside is a thrilling debut, even more so when you find that Rod Reynolds is English not American, but has used the original crimes to make a brilliant story. The cover says for fans of True Detective, and this is definitely in the first series mode and will leave you breathless throughout. A great book, an even better read, and I cannot wait for Reynolds next outing. ( )