Thank you NetGalley for this ARC !

Hummm... what to say. It was a good book. It was a page turner but i felt i could have been so much more, it had the potential to be really good.

I feel like it was the story of a bored house husband either trying to make right by his wife or did have this deep seeded dark and twisty side to him that he needed to find dead bodies.

I have attempted to read this book a few times. It is too slow moving for me. It didn't do anything for me.

I love physiological thrillers, mysteries, and any other types of books that takes the reader along for the mystery with it. But this one just didn't work for me, unfortunately. The book is extremely slow paced to start off, and the constant switch between first and third point of view makes the story feel choppy too me. The idea behind the book and the plot line are good, but the writing style and pacing were off for me.

Find You in the Dark by Nathan Ripley is a thriller that centers around Martin Reese who after an early retirement has a rather odd hobby no one else knows about. You see Martin takes these camping trips off by himself but instead of enjoying nature Martin looks for the remains of victims of serial killers.

Martin’s wife’s sister had been a victim twenty years before and the family had never received closure or real evidence of what happened to her so Martin thinks he just may find her in his adventures one day. When he does find something he makes anonymous tips to police getting himself known as the finder. Of course stepping into this world gets Martin more than he ever bargained for.

Find You in the Dark was compared to Caroline Kepnes and Jeff Lindsay’s Dexter which put me on the fence on whether this one would be for me. Love some Caroline Kepnes but not so much the Dexter so of course I land in the it was alright zone with this one instead of the love it.

The book had a lot of potential to it but again with this one the characters never really pull me in to where I absolutely am on the edge worrying what will happen to them. The story is somewhat a slow burn that to me really seemed a bit predictable along the way leaving me with the meh, it’s alright feeling after I was done. Some may love this one but for me it lacked a spark of excitement in it’s darkness.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Very Intense - enjoyed the main character. This was something I had to force myself to slow down and treasure because not often you find a character/book you just want to enjoy.

he creepy blurb of the book caught my interest right away. Dexter meets The Talented Mr. Ripley sounds delightful, and I was not disappointed. The book is intriguing, suspenseful, and creepy. Just what it promised to be.

Even though the story has a slow beginning, I was engaged with Martin, our main character. He's an ex-dot.com wealthy man whose hobby is quite peculiar. He's a good dad, a decent husband, and an excellent puzzle solver. He's obsessed with recovering the unfound bodies of victims of serial killer murders in the Pacific Northwest. Martin's hobby comes with a personal touch. His late sister-in-law, Tinsley Schultz, was kidnapped, murdered, and her body was never found. She's believed to be a victim of Jason Shurn, one of Martin's favorite serial killers. For years, Martin has gotten away with his hobby, both at home and with the cops. Not anymore. Something changes in the dynamics, and now the bone hunter/vigilante is being hunted.

The second part of the book goes faster and becomes more interesting, removing the layer of normality hiding the real Martin. I would have liked to have access to him a bit sooner. I struggled with some areas of the plot finding them somewhat challenging, or questionable to the least, but what do I know? Perhaps rich people can get away with certain things the rest of us, peons can't. These discrepancies didn't bother me enough to give the book a lower rating though because I kept thinking about it while I wasn't reading it, and I never felt bored or wishing it was over. I wonder if the end was left open for a Detective Whittal spinoff series? Hmm...

Book was good. Kept me guessing. Never saw the twists coming. Can't wait to read another book by him.

can wholeheartedly recommend this book to fellow readers who appreciate complicated protagonists and expertly paced thrillers. The premise is wonderfully unique and as the book progresses, becomes increasingly nuanced and engaging. I'm reticent to give away too much, but the author makes bold choices with his protagonist that pay off immensely. I would love to spend more time in the universe of his book and hope that there are sequels en route.

*I received an advanced copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

Talk about a fun ride!

Martin Reese is a retired tech businessman with loads of money and time on his hands. Old, unsolved murder cases are his obsession and he has a talent for solving them. After decades of doing this, things begin crumbling down and all the people around him are at risk . . .

This is a smart, tautly written thriller that will appeal to anyone who likes this sort of thing. If the synopsis sounds interesting to you, check this book out when it releases in June. I found the characters were not exactly likable or memorable, and the last third kind of fizzled out, but I still had a good time with this. To say more would be risking spoilers.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC!

I really really wanted to love this book, and I had high expectations for it because the premise just sounded so amazing. However, it just didn't work for me.

I think one of my big problems with this book is that it has a very slow pace. It took a long time for the story to get going and even when it did, it wasn't necessarily presented in the most interesting way. I wanted things to be fast-paced to keep in line with the intensity of the premise. But this was definitely a slow burner of a story, and I don't know if it really worked well for this type of novel.

I also didn't really like any of the characters and found the style of conversation between different characters to be very stilted and awkward. It really wasn't realistic at all, which is one of my pet peeves. I wish the interactions had been developed better as that really hindered my ability to enjoy reading this book. I also felt that the characters lacked the depth I was looking for. Martin is just very, very dull for the longest time and I found him annoying. I didn't like the two police detectives as they were very cookie-cutter and one-dimensional; I wanted something more unique from them.

Overall, this novel had an interesting premise but it didn't meet my expectations. I wanted deeper characters and a faster pace, so for these reasons, I'm giving it a 2/5 stars.

Psychopaths come in many forms. Mostly, they stalk and murder victims, but Martin Reese just wants to find dead bodies and uncover what others left hidden. After retiring from his tech company with all the money he will ever need, he indulges in his hobby and has a successful, secret career as "The Finder." Most cops see what he does as a public service… after all, the families of the forgotten victims can finally bury their loved ones and get closure. Sandra Whittal doesn’t share this view. Finding dead bodies is her job as a police detective and she is determined to find out who this "Finder" is. But there is another person who doesn't like what Martin is doing: the unknown accomplice of the serial killers that he's exposing, and he will try to make Martin stop by using his wife and teenage daughter. Martin, being a psycho himself, will not be an easy target, and that was my favorite part of the book. The way he plots to try to get himself out of the mess he's trapped in. Even if his motives are not noble, he is a likable character. I wanted him to get away with everything. This is a dark book, but will suck you in until its flawless conclusion.

I read this book when I had the flu. I'm telling you this because me being high on Nyquil and breathing Bengay fumes may have exacerbated my fleeting moments of terror! I had to stop reading one night, get up from bed and walk away. So, I waited til the next day, started reading again and realized that yep, I had definitely been high on the Nyquil, because it just wasn't scary anymore! The good news though is that this book and the main character was one creepy son of a gun. Sure, he came across as fairly normal, but when you understand how this "family man" has lived his whole entire life then it turns up the creep factor. I would like to see what's happening 10 years down the road from when this story ends. Yeah, I'd recommend this book, and I intend to read more from this author. My thanks to Netgalley for the chance to read and review this e-arc.

Find You In The Dark by Nathan Ripley sounded kinda twisted. A man who liked to dig up dead bodies for a living? You don’t come across that too often. I was intrigued with the premise and curious to see how this would twist and turn, as there’s no way this ends up good for everyone.

I thought the story here was super interesting. The idea of an everyday man trekking out in secret to dig up bodies, but not just any body, bodies of the missing victims of serial killers and reporting it anonymously to the police, that really grabbed me. I wanted to know why someone would be obsessed with this, whether it meant he had more of a fixation on the killings, or just liked the finding.

I was worried that jumping from this part to focusing on the police side of the same coin would get old for me, but I quite liked both sides of the story and thought they balanced each other well. The cop, Whittal, was super smart and I really liked her dynamic in the story, as well as the friction between her and Martin Reese, the aforementioned digger.

I’m ashamed to admit that I didn’t have many expectations for this book and thought it would just be a run of the mill thriller that I’d pin point half way through, but I was happily surprised with the way this book wove around expectations and carved its own path. I wasn’t entirely certain at any point in the book what the outcome was going to be and how Reese was going to handle the heat coming at home from all directions – the cops, the serial killer, is wife.

Ripley did a great job focusing on people’s obsessive fixations and how that blocks out ever other aspect of their world. I quite enjoyed this rapid read and am anxious to see what Ripley does next.

disclaimer – i received a copy of this book via atria books in exchange for an honest review.

find you in the dark is the epitome of the saying "the only way out is through." on the surface, it seems like a generic murderer stalks nosy do-gooder story but it turns into a satisfyingly creepy game of chase. i set the story aside several times thinking to myself, "yeah, that's a little too far into a serial killer's mind than i want to go." at the same time thinking, "what in the name of all that's good in literature is this idiot doing stalking a serial killer?" that's what kept me coming back; the inherent dichotomy between this is not going to end well and everything will be fine. the idea that i can quit any time i want but i'll never get it out of my head until i finish it.

Find You in the Dark has a strong premise, but didn't really deliver that strong gut punch I was expecting. It was an easy read, but maybe not the right fit for me. Regardless of my feelings towards this title, I will be purchasing another book by Ripley.

Find You in the Dark by Nathan Ripley is a psychological thriller.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publishers, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

My Synopsis: 
Martin Reese has a secret that his wife and daughter know nothing about. His wealth has allowed him to retire early, and he spends his spare time on a treasure hunt of sorts. He hunts for the dead bodies of murdered victims. He hopes to find the missing body of his sister-in-law at some point. By purchasing police records from a rather unscrupulous police officer, Martin has been rather successful in his searches. When he finds a body, after many photographs and documenting every nuance for himself, he re-buries it, and leaves a computer-generated message for the police as to the location of said remains. He emphasizes that the police should have been put in a little more effort. To Detective Sandra Whittal, these phone messages have been a taunt that she could do without. She has a good track record, and she is intent on getting this man she calls “The Finder”. Others may think he is doing the families a service by giving them back their loved one to bury, but Sandra wonders if perhaps he may start killing next.

Meanwhile, Reese may have overstepped. He thinks he has discovered the 20-year-old remains of his sister-in-law, but when he opens the grave, he finds the body a current case, and of a current murderer….who is now hunting him. The “Ragman” as he calls himself, is not happy that Reese is finding his kills. This killer has been working with others in the past to create his own little path of destruction, and he needs a new partner. Perhaps Reese could fill that vacancy.

In order for Reese to keep ahead of both the police and the murderer, and to keep his family safe, he may have to up his game.

My Opinions: 
Although the premise of the book is great, I felt it moved a little slowly. As well, I didn’t connect with the main characters. Martin seemed a little wishy-washy, his wife a bit**, and the detective arrogant and unprofessional. I rather liked the daughter and the serial killer. Told from the perspectives of Martin, the Detective, and the Ragman, everything moved smoothly. It is an easy read. It just somehow missed the punch it needed. I kept waiting, and although the ending was fair, overall it just lagged.

This was not a bad for a debut novel!  Again, the actual plot was really good, and it read well, but perhaps this one just wasn’t for me.  Guess they can't all be.

Wow! This was quite a ride. I enjoyed every page! This ranks right up there with some of the best mysteries I’ve read...and I read a lot of mysteries. This is a completely new to me author, and a new to me hero/anti-hero. I loved Martin from the beginning, unlike Detective Sandra Whittal. I thought Martin is one of those unsung hero types that does a great service. Detective Whittal just thinks he’s a monster.

You see, Martin is very wealthy after selling his tech company, and he has an agenda. He has many reasons for searching for the bodies of serial killers, not just the one mentioned in the blurb. He’s pretty obsessive about it...and secretive. Maybe a little creepy. And still, I liked him.

Speaking of creepy, I thought Sandra Whittal’s obsession with finding Martin was much more disturbing. I wanted to tell her to leave Martin the hell alone, Lady, he’s getting himself in enough trouble without you dogging his every step! That darn serial killer that discovered what Martin was doing? Oh. M. Gee! He’s very, very bad. And he has a terrible history.

Is Martin a hero or a monster? You’ll have to decide for yourself. I’m sure that all mystery lovers will enjoy this book as much as I did. Grab a copy and...

Enjoy!

2shay

ARC provided by Atria Books and NetGalley for an honest and voluntary review.

Two words:

Messed. Up.

But in a good way.

This was one of the more bizarre stories I have read. It was like a story you would see on Investigation Discovery, feeling like a dark, inconceivable, fictitious version of 48 hours or Dateline.

Martin Reese has a hobby. Rather, an obsession. He studies serial killers, searches for their victims' dead bodies, and digs them up. Seeing his work as a public service, he then calls the police and reports the missing girls as found, all while remaining anonymous. But little does Martin know somebody is on to his secret, somebody who would kill to stop him.

Nathan Ripley did such a great job developing this story from the beginning. I was along for the ride through and through. With layers upon layers, my interest was piqued and attention held for all 368 pages. Each of the many characters that were introduced along the way had a distinct purpose, and added depth to the novel. And, all of the loose ends were tied up thoughtfully and purposefully at the conclusion of the story.

I also found myself feeling empathetic toward Martin, despite some of the more sinister actions he takes throughout the novel. I felt conflicted, struggling between my moral compass and the feeling of wanting to relate to the protagonist regardless of his poor choices. It was an interesting situation that the reader was put in by Nathan Ripley.

Overall, would highly recommend this book to anybody who is looking to get a little scared in the dark.

-This book was gifted to me in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley, Nathan Ripley, and Atria Books for the opportunity to review.-

Find You in the Dark by Nathan Ripley is an exciting thriller. I found the twists and turns to be unpredictable. Overall it was a well written, enticing book and I would recommend it to friends or fans of thrillers.

The premise for this novel is hard to resist: Martin, a man who hunts not serial killers, but the bodies they have left behind. Martin is at once sympathetic and frightening. Though he acknowledges the dark impulses that led him to his pastime, he is also a devoted husband and father who clearly thinks of his shady activities as a form of public service.

I really couldn't see how this was going to play out as I was reading, and it kept my interest all the way through. There are some odd hiccups in the prose - like the detectives, Sandra Whittal and Chris Gabriel, getting reintroduced with their full names with every encounter up until Chapter 17 (!!) - but the underlying plot is compelling enough to make up for it.