A real roller coaster ride could not put it down characters are well developed and the story line flows well

My Rating: 3.5 Stars
She took down a brutal serial killer and was catapulted to fame, but it came at a cost. Now exhausted after doing the television interview circuit, all Iris wants is some quiet downtime with the man she considers her best friend, her former FBI partner, the handsome Luke Hudson. What she gets is a desperate phone call that sends her back into the bowels of her youth, the small town she could get far enough away from.

Her twin brother, Billy, the gentle soul to her hardscrabble personality is in trouble. Now she must infiltrate the cult he has joined after he turns his back on all he had, including a fiancée he has left high and dry. Can Iris outwit the charismatic cult leader and open her brother’s eyes before his life goes down in a blaze of twisted glory?

DARKNESS AT THE EDGE OF TOWN by Jennifer Harlow is an emotional thriller that takes one woman back to the town and family that shamed, humiliated and belittled her, all to protect the one person who stood in her shadows under the radar, but she thought loved her unconditionally. The raw and unbalanced animosity shown by her own mother was as gut-wrenching as was the treatment she received from others in her past that should have been on her side. Iris is damaged, she is self-destructive and only one man seems to see beyond her tough outer shell to the woman she is.

Readers beware, there is backstory here that is vital to know. I was invited to review this and would have passed had I known this was not a series standalone read. Fast paced, dark and emotionally clawing at-the-throat, the sometimes over-the-top outbursts made me want to commit several characters. That said, this is an edge-of-your-seat thriller! make sure to read book one first, hopefully, it will contain the answers to the past events that shaped this book.

I was invited to read an ARC edition from Alibi.

Series: Iris Ballard - Book 2
Publisher: Alibi (November 14, 2017)
Publication Date: November 14, 2017
Genre: Suspense
Page Count 360
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com

Dr Iris Ballard has had a very tough few years, involving widowhood, alcoholism, drug addiction, and severe physical injury to both her and to her best friend and former partner Luke Hudson. But she has come out of it and in the process has become a media star with a million dollar book contract. What she doesn’t have is her husband, her career with the FBI, a lover, or a decent relationship with most of her family.
But it is her family that calls her home to Grey Mills, Pa because it her twin brother, Billy, has done his fiancée wrong by deserting her, stealing from her and betraying her. To cap it all off he has joined a cult, which has resulted in the frantic phone call from Iris’s mother demanding she come home to do something.
Iris is a great character, so full of contradictions, such a mess, but so strong and so smart.
She is loyal to her friend Luke and to the Sheriff who along with his department supported her career in law enforcement, As for most others, including the family she seems to have so little regard for, they must make do with an occasional phone call. . She’s not even sure if she remembered to send her twin a birthday card. But then Iris is devastated when Billy brings home some unwanted truths about her neglect of family and friends.
I like Harlow’s story of Billy’s entry into a cult, and Iris’ almost seduction into the same cult. But then cults wouldn’t exist if they didn’t answer some deep hidden needs in their adherents.
Luke is such a fabulous guy, deeply in love with Iris, but she is such a mess that she can’t admit her feelings and instead pretty much treats him like crap.
A major complaint and it is costing at least one star. I go off on a book if I see the word smirk or grin used more than once or twice in a book. This book had a never-ending supply of smirks. Everyone smirked. I think I saw smirks four or five times on a single page. Aren’t editors supposed to prevent such solecisms? I’m not the only reviewer who was extremely annoyed by all of the smirking going around. A guy should only smirk if he has black brylcreemed hair. As for women, never, or maybe if she is a really cheap blond.
This is a really exciting story and fascinating in explanations of how cults work, how they are so able to entice the most vulnerable to join.
Iris does show considerable personal growth, although it comes at great cost in realizing her years of selfishness and neglect.
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for a fair and hones review.

Darkness at the Edge of Town is the second Iris Ballard thriller by Jennifer Harlow. I think I preferred the first book a little bit more but I still thought it was a great thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time.

This book felt more personal to Iris because it involved her twin brother Billy, who joined a cult and disappeared on his girlfriend Gia and his own family. To find her brother, Iris infiltrates the cult, which is not without its dangers, obviously. I really liked that this story involved a cult because it made for a nice change from the first book. I really dislike it when thrillers keep being the same theme with each book so it made everything pretty intriguing.

I'm also glad to say that I also still am a big fan of Iris Ballard. She's one of my favorite heroines from this author's books. Iris is not a perfect person at all, but I totally love her sarcastic and witty side. I was also glad to see her relationship with Luke grow a bit more through the story, especially towards the end. I've been shipping them since the first book.

I have to admit that there wasn't as much suspense as there was in the first book. Don't get me wrong, there definitely was suspense but it wasn't on the same level as the first book, in my opinion. The writing was also really great, just like in the first book. Not that this was a big surprise to me becaue I've always loved the author's writing style.

Overall, Darkness at the Edge of Town by Jennifer Harlow is a thriller you definitely need to read. I really enjoyed the story, the characters and the eerie feel of the cult.

Great read! Looking forward to reading more by this author! Highly recommend!

Dilemma here.
I want to give the book 4 stars because it was a good solid book but I just can't. The over usage of the word smirk had me so frustrated that it came to a point when I wanted to throw the book across the room in anger every time those 5 little letters appeared. Everyone was smirking!! Sometimes everyone in the scene was smirking!! There has got to be a dozen other words that would convey the same feeling.

Iris Ballard, a former FBI profiler, returns to her hometown after news that her brother Billy has broken all ties to his former life and joined a local cult. She tries to infiltrate the cult by pretending to be a newly divorced timid women with a large divorce settlement in order to find the location of her brother. This is made more difficult by the fact that she just finished a long tour of television appearances and could be recognized at any moment. The question is can she talk some sense into him and get him home safe.

This second outing for Dr Iris Ballard was a difficult read for me. Like her first Iris Ballard novel, Beautiful Maids All in a Row, Jennifer Harlow gives us a character who is all over the place emotionally. The self-loathing Iris from the first book is still quite prevalent. So is the brash, arrogant, in your face Iris. I almost put the book down twice because I couldn't reconcile these two Irises. As a psychologists you would think she wouldn't antagonizes those whom she needs to find her twin brother. She demonstrates a complete lack of self-control when her life could be in jeopardy. And then blames herself when others die.

Needless to say I didnt like this read.

I wish to thank Jennifer Harlow, the publisher, and NetGalley for my free copy in exchange for my unbiased review.

I really enjoy psych thrillers because they make you think and this one hit the spot. It's about a very independent woman, working for the FBI catching the bad guys. But this story finds her in her own home town when her mom calls to tell her that her brother ran off to join a cult. The twists and turns in the story will have you wanting more and racing to the end to find out what happens. So put your feet up get something to drink because this book takes you for a ride.

I love psychological thrillers and this one hit the spot. Was given to me as an ARC for an honest review and I must admit getting to love Iris Ballard. A very independent woman, working for the FBI catching the bad guys. But this story finds her in her own home town when her mom calls to tell her that her brother ran off to join a cult.

Trying to free him and get him home turns into a major investigation and includes crossing paths with the DEA. Throw in a little romance and of course lots of suspense.....and you have yourself a quick-paced story that will be available November 14, 2017 - put it on your TBR list today!

"Most people aren't aware when a life-changing moment happens to them until time passes. The moments that form a person, defube him or her, when everything changes."

Ex FBI profiler, Iris Ballard, always knows her "moments" almost as soon as they happen. She is on the talk show circuit after her most recent case made her a household name when she gets a call from her mother -- Iris's twin brother, Billy, has left his girlfriend, taken all their money, and ran off to join a cult. There's not much that Iris hates more than going back home, but off she goes to see if she can at least talk to Billy and figure out what's going on.

Grey Mills holds few good memories for Iris, but she did have a mentor at the Sheriff's Department from way back when before she left the town and never looked back. She wants to spend as little time at home with her psycho mom as possible, so she gets started right away. What she finds at the New Morning Movement chills her to the bone. But Billy seems happy and Iris is stunned to learn that he's married a fellow member and is going to be a father. When the cult leader, Mathias Morning, finds out the Iris is onto him, she must rely on her former partner, Agent Luke Hudson. Well, he's much more than her work colleague.

No more spoilers but there is plenty of action and romance in this second book of the series. I'd call it more of a drama than a suspense thriller, but it was fast-paced and entertaining. Iris is an interesting character, there's good backstory within in case you haven't read the first book, but I'd urge you to read these in order so you can see the changes that Iris goes through after all that happens to her. She's quite the complicated woman and she is well aware that she's not an easy woman to love.

Thank you to NetGalley and Alibi for the e-book ARC to read and review. I'll definitely want to catch book #3 when it comes out.

3.5 stars. This is the second in the Iris Ballard series. A solid, sturdy plot without anything too flashy. There was a little bit of cringey awkward dialogue between the protagonist and her love interest, but it wasn't anything that detracted from the story. Iris Ballard is a flawed human being that's gone through a hell of a lot and she finds herself reluctantly returning to her childhood hometown to try to figure out what's going on with her twin brother. He's apparently disappeared into the folds of a local cult, but having left a note and being an adult, the police have nothing to investigate. What follows is a rescue story of a neurotic slap worthy mother, an intriguing love interest, and how the emotions of our family don't always coincide with how we think they should feel. Worth a read.

hanks NetGalley for the ARC of this book. I really liked this book! I have not read the first book in this series but I plan too as soon as I can. Iris is a great character, smart and a huge-risk taker, sassy sarcastic honest and funny too. She has overcome a lot of personal issues but seems to be on the right track now. Her mother calls her telling Iris that her brother has disappeared and joined a cult and she is really worried about him. Iris goes home to help find her brother and see what is going on with the cult. She stumbles on something bigger than just a cult and gets really involved in exposing the cult leader as a criminal as well as saving her brother. Her ex-partner Luke shows up and helps her get to the bottom of what is going on. They are so adorable and work amazingly well together! The story is definitely unique involving the cult aspect which is very interesting. Suspenseful and exciting as well! Looking forward to reading the first book and more in the series as they come out. Great book!

Loved it!
4.5 stars

If you like kick-ass heroines, read this series!

While Darkness at the Edge of Town can be read as a standalone, I highly recommend you read book one, Beautiful Maids All in Row, before you read this.

Former FBI profiler, Irish Ballard, finally seems to be in a good place. She is recovering from the events that plagued her for the past two years, and seems to have kicked her addiction to pills and alcohol. After taking down a notorious serial killer, she has become famous and is making rounds on the talk show circuit. Everything seems to be falling into place, until her mother calls alerting her that her twin brother, Billy, is in danger.

Iris returns to Pennsylvania to rescue her brother who has joined a cult. Iris infiltrates the crazy cult and puts herself in danger. Pretty soon, Luke, her best friend and former partner, is beside her side to help her take down the cult leaders.

This is a fast-paced, action packed, suspenseful page turner! There’s so much I loved about this book: I loved Iris’s interactions with her grandparents, her acerbic wit, and of course her dynamic with Luke! I cannot wait for book three!

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

The author uses the word "smirked" 43 times in the text, sometimes more than once on a page. Surely it is not being released like this.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

After catching and killing a serial killer called The Shepherd, forensic psychologist Dr. Iris Ballard has become a media sensation and has a contract to write a book. But her mother calls to tell her that her twin brother, whom she hasn't really kept in touch with, is in trouble so Iris returns to her hometown of Grey Mills, PA, to help. There she learns Billy's fiancé Gia recently had a miscarriage and he has drained their accounts and joined a mysterious commune. When Iris pretends to be "Carol," a lost soul looking for help in order to find Billy, thing go downhill quickly and soon the FBI and DEA are accusing Iris of interfering with a federal investigation. Knowing that the group leader is a dangerous psychopath, Iris enlists the help of her former partner Luke to try and save Billy before the Feds strike.

Second in the series, Darkness at the Edge of Town, is a suspenseful read you won't want to put down. Iris is a quirky, complex character with lots of personal as well as professional issues and we learn much more about why she is the way she is. I look forward to Iris's next adventure.

I was hooked on this series from Beautiful Maids All in a Row. Iris Ballard is the perfect heroine that you'll fall in love with. Sarcastic, sassy, and very flawed. Darkness at the Edge of Town is just as fast paced and so very addicting. If you love mystery/thrillers by Karin Slaughter pick up this series! Jennifer Harlow will hook you too!

*ARC provided by NetGalley for an honest review.

This book was a real let down which was a real shame because I was really looking forward to reading this book.
When I first started this book it was really good with Dr Iris Ballard who is a agent for the FBI elite behavioral analysis unit and I thought she was going to be a really strong character but she seemed weak.
This is book 2 in the series and having not read the first book I did not know what had happened to her but the second book covered what happened so you knew what had gone on in the past. At first you feel really sorry for Iris and what she has been through but then I suddenly started to think that she was weak and for someone who is supposed to work for the FBI she acts like she does not know what she is doing.
It's like when she goes to the cult to find her brother she is an elite behavioural analysis but yet she does not use any of this before she goes to the cult. It just seems unbelievable and that she has forgotten she works for the FBI.
I felt sorry for her at the beginning but it feels like she is selling her story for money. For goodness sake she lost her husband and yet here she is telling her story for money.
I felt that the book did not flow and I had to force my self to read half of it maybe it got better but I could not carry on reading.
The book does not flow and not enough atmosphere Iris became very boring and the story was not good. There is one part where she is staying with her grandparents but not her mum and her mums boyfriend it's confusing she likes him she doesn't make up your mind and go one way or the other.
A real let down maybe it will get better but I am not reading any more just so boring. Its like the author has forgotten she is FBI I wanted her to be strong but I did not see that at all a real let down.

Darkness at the Edge of Town is a unique and addicting read!!

Jennifer Harlow is an extremely talented author. She did it again folks! Be prepared to stay home from work, school, life... period to read this! Honestly, I enjoyed this book better then the first in the series.

Iris Ballard is at her PRIME in this novel. Iris is even more sexy, sassy, and bad ass! She is by far my favorite female detective in all of the books that I read (and trust me I read a lot of mystery/detective books). Iris had me in stitches laughing and I went back to re-read sections because she is that entertaining.

What I loved most about this book was the different storyline. As a reader, you see SO many storylines where the serial killer hunts down the main detective. This was NOT the case here! Props and kudos to Jennifer Harlow ;).

Iris gets a phone call from her mother begging her to come back to her home town in Grey Mills,
Pennsylvania because her twin brother Billy has disappeared. Billy has left his fiancé and drained their bank accounts to join a mysterious cult. Iris tries to track her brother down and figure out if something is extremely dark and sinister going on with this so-called "cult"? Is Billy trapped in this cult and in danger? Or, is this a place of happiness and peace for Billy? Can, I just say how much cults fascinate me?! I LOVED this storyline!!!

And.. I know your anxious to get an update on Iris and her off and on again lover Luke Hudson. OH my gosh can I just say how much I LOVE Luke Hudson. He is so sexy!! I just love his character.

I LOVED this book! I highly recommend this series. I would say to start from book one if you haven't because you will get a better understanding of storyline/characters of Luke and Iris.

Overall 5 stars for me on this book!

This is book #2 in the Iris Ballard series and this book was just as great as the first. I absolutely love Iris one of my favorite female characters in a long time. I loved the different story line of this book not a FBI chases serial killer book... again! Did Iris's brother Billy get trapped into leaving his family behind for a cult? or did he willingly leave his family ? Iris is on the case. Save her brother from the Morningstars or leave him there where he might have found true happiness ?? Is something sinister going on with this cult or is it all really love ,peace and happiness. You will have to read this great book to find out. Loved it!!!

Dr. Iris Ballard is eager to get away from the press that has been clamouring for interviews after Iris caught a cunning serial killer. But she won’t have any time to relax or reconnect with her sometime boyfriend ans ex FBI agent Luke, because she has to head home to Grey Mills, Pennsylvania to save her twin brother. Billy has dumped his fiance and cleaned out all their savings to join a cult called New Saturday Movement. Iris is sure she’s smarter than the cult’s leader, Mathias Morning, but she’s in for a surprise. Morning is no dummy and he’s ready for Iris. Soon, Iris is fighting for her life and the life of her brother. I love Iris Ballard, she’s a complicated, wildly imperfect heroine.