From the very beginning Hankins pulls you into the story with action and does not stop until the very end. The writing is clear and vivid, the characters are originals and the pace is excellent. I don't usually enjoy books with multiple perspectives but Hankins executed this very well and made it work to drive the plot forward.

James Hankins, The Prettiest One was the first novel I ever received from Kindle First, from that moment on, I fell in love with James Hankins writing. He's a captivating storyteller; from the first page, you become hooked.

At the start of The Inside Dark we discover that Jason Swike, a published author and family man, is chained to a stable wall. He's been held captive for four days without food, and barely any water... water that has been drugged to keep Jason submissive. Jason soon realizes that his captor is none other than the notorious Crackerjack; a serial killer who is known for killing his victims by breaking several of their bones and painting their faces and then leaving them in a ditch to be discovered. Jason discovers he's not alone, in the stable next to him is Ian Cobb, a local plumber. Ian and Jason strike up a conversation, but Jason can barely stay awake, the lack of food, dehydration, and drugs have left him so tired and barely able to focus. As Jason slumps to the stable floor he hears it... the whistling. He now knows that Crackerjack is back. He hears a whack and then a scream of pain and terror. He realizes, his new friend Ian is not going to survive this ordeal, and with that, neither would he. Jason soon drifts off, but he is suddenly awoken by two men who come crashing into his stable and falling on top of him. As Jason begins to regain focus on the situation he hears a man pleading for help. Jason realizes it's Ian, he's still alive, but how? A struggle ensues and Jason manages to come to the rescue by killing Crackerjack with several blows to the head with a hammer.

Jason and Ian have escaped the notorious serial killer Crackerjack. The are dubbed local heroes by the media and local residents. Ian tells the police and the media that Jason is the real hero, that he saved him. Jason on the other hand felt as though he would have never been able to stop Crackerjack if Ian hadn't gotten one up on him. Ian says their a team... they did it together. Things start to look up for Jason, he's got a book deal in the works, possibly a movie, and he was gifted 100,000, for killing Crackerjack. Make that 200,000 after Ian decides that Jason deserves his portion of the money. Yes, things are looking really good for Jason. That is, until he stands to lose it all. Jason and Ian begin another journey together, one that will show them exactly what the inside dark looks like.

From the beginning James Hankins has you hooked, that's what he does. I also know that there is always a twist. Early on I could see where things were headed, almost from the start, I was interested to see how this story was going to play out. I kept saying to myself "Okay James, where are you taking this?". The part I struggled with was how is it that Jason could never seem to get out of the mess he was facing? There were several times I kept thinking to myself... you idiot, why didn't you do this or that? (I'll spare you details as to not reveal anything). That aside, I really enjoyed this, just as I have with other James Hankins novels. It's fast paced, the characters are well developed, some may say too developed. It's twisted, captivating, and maybe even heroic.

The Inside Dark is a little different psychological thriller. Throughout the book I was constantly asking myself what I would have done in the same situation. With The Inside Dark James Hankins has given his fans another intriguing story. Some edge of your seat moments and definitely a page turner. I would like to thank Thomas & Mercer for providing me with an early copy of The Inside Dark so I could leave an honest and unbiased review.

This new book by James Hankins has one of the best beginnings I've ever read, so there was no way to keep from reading the rest of the book almost nonstop until it was finished. This is definitely Hankins best so far. A great and original story idea that had me reading so fast, that I had to keep stopping myself from skipping entire passages in my hurry to see what happened next! What a thrill ride! This is a 5 star book for sure! Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this advance copy!

An easy to read thriller where everything is not as it seems. A little predictable but still a good read. The short chapters add to the suspense. There are a few twists in the plot to keep the reader on their toes.

A mesmerizing tale that explores the lengths to which a devoted husband and father will go in order to protect his family. The villain is absolutely diabolical, and the overall premise of the book is unique and chilling. If you read no other mystery / suspense novel this year, let this be the exception. Very highly recommended.