I’ve learnt to expect the unexpected when it comes to Sibel Hodge’s recent books. Untouchable and Beneath The Surface were both reads that hit you round the face with a story so believable it makes you wonder did it really happen. So what did Into TheDarkness have in store??

It was great being reunited with previous characters. I really liked Mitchell and the role he played in Untouchable. Reprising his role as the knight in shining armour to the damsel that is Toni’s mum, Corrine, Mitchell and Maya (also from Untouchable) have their work cut out for them to find the girl who had vanished into thin air.

I loved the way the story has a chapter for each perspective and each chapter had a title to tell you who you were with. It really got me thinking how it was all going to come together at the end! How was the Detective linked to the Missing and the Vigilante?!

The story, as it developed, felt like lots of jigsaw puzzle pieces but no picture on the box telling me how to put them together! Each chapter slotted more pieces together for the two storylines but it was difficult to see how the two halves would meet! But slowly there were pieces in the middle starting to join the differing sides together until Mitchell gave me the last few pieces to create the picture that is Into The Darkness.

As the story unfolded, I wondered how Ms Hodge did her research. I won’t go into too much details as I really don’t like spoiling the story for others but the author’s note does shed a little light on the inspiration for the tale. Sibel Hodge definitely knows how to write a hard hitting, thought provoking read. Bravo Ms Hodge, another cracker!

Into The Darkness by Sibel Hodge.
The synopsis read of a psychological thriller from three points of view: The Missing, The Detective and The Vigilante.
I’ll start by saying this, reading about the dark corners of cyber crimes and how they translate to physical crimes was intriguing. A young female protagonist who is motivated by the study and prevention of violent crimes, was also an interesting spin on the strong up and coming heroine we know and love.
I will give Sibel Hodge props for providing us with a new and darker look into the passions of one-day crime fighters and how those passions could grow into actions.
My conflict comes in the form of DS Warren Carter, “The Detective”.
DS Carter is the usual detective who has reached his limit working in law enforcement.
I love this character trope, as it opens many doors for complex backgrounds and futures. Unfortunately, I found DS Carter to lack that complexity and open-mindedness.
Spending half of his time complaining about the recently ordered diversity training, he berates his captain who is actively trying to better their work environment.
Belittling the diversity training became a theme throughout the novel, which turned me off to Carter as it made him seem tone deaf and out of touch with world events.
Mitchell, “The Vigilante”, had an interesting connection to The Missing. I found Mitchell to have more depth and reasoning behind his actions than DS Carter has in his own. In turn I was more in sync with Mitchell’s quests.
Toni, “The Missing”, emitted potential and mystery, strength and independence. Mostly she kept those traits. But, becoming invested in Toni was difficult for this reader. Out of the 58 Chapters, Toni is given only 7. Cut short, her chapters always seemed to end just as I was becoming invested. Even so, I rooted for Toni the whole time.
There was certainly an abundance of characters to keep us guessing. I had many theories about “whodunit”, and was surprised and pleased when I was wrong. It’s always thrilling when the story shakes up just as we become comfortable. More props.
My disconnect remains with DS Carter’s constant belittling of the diversity training. Woven throughout the novel, his lack of sensitivity is what ultimately left me with no feeling of redemption for our detective.
Collectively Sibel Hodge gave us a new spin on a thrilling crime novel.
Three points of view connecting big facts and little details that lead to a wild fruition: a new spin on a young crime fighter, a vigilante grappling with guilt, and a detective who was in the right place at the right time. A solid ending to a bit of a shaky, but thrilling, read.
I would recommend this to any reader who frequents crime/mystery novels.

Thank you to Amazon Publishing UK for this Advanced Readers Copy.

I thank the Netgalley website and the Thomas & Mercer editions for this partnership.

I was immediately attracted to the blanket.

It includes Toni who at 18 years is held prisoner for putting his nose in what was not necessary. As for her mother she will call on Agent Mitchell to find her. The detective who was looking for a job is going to be investigated on a double murder and what he is going to discover is beyond anything he has seen so far.

A good thriller that I read in one go with endearing characters, a captivating storyline. Look forward to reading other books by this author.

Spent the weekend totally engrossed in this book.
This adventure thriller is told from 3 viewpoints and initially I was unsure how they were all going to tie in together. The storyline kept me intrigued throughout though and I loved the ending.
Now I’m off to see what other delights Sibel Hodge has written!

The title of this novel is apt. “Darkness” it is.
While I would like to think the subject material was truly fictional it is disturbingly not. It exposes the deparavity to which human beings can sink.
The technique of using three converging storylines works fairly well here, although the outcome seems fairly apparent midway through. I found “The Detective” character by far the most credible, and “The Vigilante” far too gung- ho and unlikely. The major villain, sadly, was under developed and this is what separates a thriller from a truly great thriller.
Thanks to Netgalley and Amazon for the opportunity to review this work.

I have not stopped thinking about this story ever since I turned the last page. I absolutely loved this book, I was gripped from the first page and I was racing through the book because I was so eager to see where it would take me and what would happen next.
Sibel Hodge has done a brilliant job of making you think as you read this. Throughout the book my head was constantly buzzing with questions. The characters were fantastically written, Into the Darkness is a dark intense and chilling read. With an incredible plot line and lots of tension, this is THE book to read this summer.
Highly recommended.

This is a great book which really held my attention.
The story is told from three perspectives- The Missing, The Vigilante and The Detective.
As the story gets going you can see how the missing girl Toni and Mitchell the Vigilante’s stories tie together but I felt a bit out on a limb with the detective.
His case is that of a murdered couple in a rural location and with no leads at first, he struggled to find a motive for the murders.
It does all come together though and the final few chapters will have you on the edge of your seat.
Thanks to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Into the Darkness is one of those books that makes reading such a pleasure. Even when I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about it. How could the missing girl and the murder of an elderly couple be connected? I could feel Tonis' fear and I'm still absolutely horrified about the ' dark web'. I have to thank NetGalley and Sibel Hodge for the opportunity to read such a good book.

A very good story told from three different perspectives with a really gruesome subject matter which is handled very well. Kept me guessing and the ending was a big surprise.

Really enjoyed the style used in this book with the action moving from the viewpoint of the detective, to the vigilante, to the victim. I felt this really kept the action moving at a good pace. No spoilers, but liked the ending, which was a surprise. Will look to read other titles from this author.

Well... this book grabbed me tight from the first page and didn't let go until the end, holding me captive all the way through! As I sat on the sofa devouring the words as I read them, I completely ignored all the things I was supposed to be doing that day, as I was compelled to get to the end.
This story is narrated by three people: The Missing, The Detective and The Vigilante. Strangely, all three narrated in the first person which I found to be a little out of the box these days as I usually find that authors mix it up a bit between voices. But, they were all distinct voices and each chapter was titled with the speaker so there was never any confusion.
We have a few things going on in this books. Toni is being held captive in a basement. She is the daughter of an ex-SAS operative, killed in battle, and her mum reaches out to his old colleague Mitchell to help her find Toni and bring her home. Meanwhile, we also follow DS Warren Carter as he is called to investigate the death of a couple, killed in their home. Although finding what he sees as several really good leads, the powers that be seem to be reluctant to allow him to pursue them. Why could that be?
One thing I really loved about this book was the differences between the three threads. The Vigilante side of things was action packed and frenetic all the way; thrilling stuff. The Missing was claustrophobic and creepy and I really felt for and indeed feared for Toni, but at the same time was impressed with her fight and spirit. These two became more psychological in nature as the story unwound. The Detective's thread, on the other hand, was slow and meticulous. Typical police procedural with a little twist which I will leave you to discover for yourself.
Obviously right from the start, you just know that there is much more going on than just the two cases being investigated. As things progress, and more and more layers are peeled back, darker, much more scary things start to emerge, some of which shocked even me, a hardened reader of this kind of book.
But it isn't all dark, there is quite a bit of humour and banter to be found within the pages too. Especially around Carter and his ongoing battle with bureaucracy political correctness. This lightens the mood at appropriate moments which meant that it never go too heavy and made for a much better balance.
And the ending, when it came, oh my! That caused me a couple of mixed feelings. But you know what, it worked, it really did!
Ok, so there were a few things that I had niggles over. Some of the discovery was a little to easy and there were things that I had to suspend belief on but, you know what, with the rest of the book - the characters, the plot, the writing - being so good, I can easily forgive the author these very minor slights.
All in all a cracking read that I thoroughly enjoyed and which left me thoroughly satisfied at its conclusion. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

This is a good read and I liked it. The subject matter is disturbing, but, it's dealt with in a sensitive manner and not gruesomely dwelt upon.

It's a story told from 3 perspectives and I really enjoyed the 3 voices of; The Missing, The Detective and The Vigilante. It moves at a good pace, both due to the short chapters told by these characters and the fact that they are all working against the clock.
The Missing is a girl who disappears having seen disturbing events whilst researching the dark web.

I loved the lead detective who is so down to earth and who, throughout the book, makes some valid observations about the frustrations of being a police officer in the age of budget focus and their need to worry about 'nonsense' rather than crime and victims and I'm sure he will find empathy from others who work in this field.

There are also reflections of real life social events woven through the storyline and despite it's difficult subject matter was also funny in parts.

A really good read. 3.5*

Thanks to net galley and Amazon Publishing UK for the opportunity to preview this ebook.

Toni has gone missing and her mother Corrine is distraught. At the end of her wits she contacts Mitchell, ex SAS operative, to help her find her daughter.  Meanwhile, in an unseemingly unconnected case DS Warren Carter is investigating the shootings of an elderly couple in a sleepy hamlet village, how can the two cases be connected and will the dots be joined in time to save Toni from the fate that awaits her?

This book, like all Sibel's books, will evoke so many feelings, I felt anger, rage, disgust, empathy, sorrow and fear. Narrated from three points of view, Toni, Carter and Mitchell, this book punched me right in the guts and then some. Despite three points of view the narrative is straight forward and easy to follow. Each chapter lets you know whose voice you are hearing. Sharp and shocking chapters will propel you swiftly through the book in a race to reach the conclusion and discover the truth. Watching the plots knit together so seamlessly reminded me of just how talented an author Sibel Hodge is.

We did meet Mitchell and Maya in Untouchable but this is a completely different storyline and you do not have to have read this one before reading Into The Darkness (however, I can highly recommend that you do read Untouchable)

Sibel Hodge never shies away from hard hitting and topical storylines, she's not afraid to raise her head above the parapet and that's what I love about her writing. Into the Darkness takes no prisoners in this terrifying journey into the world of the dark web and corruption. If you have ever thought of having a wee nose around under the surface then read this book and see if you are still up for that trip! Me, I'm terrified now! It is horrifying to read what goes on in the mind and the lives of those who get caught up in this world and provokes rage beyond belief at those who operate in worlds such as this. Once again Sibel Hodge had me spitting feathers by the end of this book!

If you are looking for a little bit of cosy crime then maybe this book isn't for you (but, hey, why not jump out of your comfort zone!) but if you are looking for a thought provoking read that will stay with you for a while then look no further!
Review will be posted on my blog on publication date

A brilliant book from the very first page right to the end. If you love thrillers with some really twisted goings on you will love this.

The book is told from three different perspectives. We have The Missing, 18 year old Toni who has been shut in a basement room and has no idea where she is or what is going to happen to her. We also have The Vigilante, who is a friend of Toni’s late father and who is determined to find Toni and reach her before it’s too late. Finally we have The Detective, DS Carter who is sent to investigate the murder of a couple that live in a quiet hamlet in the middle of the countryside. The had no known enemy’s and no links to organised crime. Why were they killed and who is responsible.

This book will have you hooked and eager to get to the next page and then the next to try and find out what is happening. A truely addictive read.

Thank you to Amazon Publishing and NetGalley for a digital copy of this book.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer, and Sibel Hodge for the opportunity to read her latest book.

Wow. Creepy, disturbing, scary, you will read this book with your heart in your throat and you won't be able to do anything else until you finish it! This is the second of Hodge's books featuring Detective Sargent Carter but definitely a stand-alone read.

Told from the points of view of The Missing, The Vigilante, and The Detective, there are two mysteries going on. DS Carter is investigating the seemingly random shooting deaths of an elderly couple at their remote farm. Carter has a lot on his own plate - he's scheduled to leave the force and take another job with his ex-partner and friend investigating wildlife crimes. The Viligante, Mitchell, comes to the aid of the wife of his deceased military operative friend when she calls him needing his help to find his missing daughter. The Missing is that daughter, Toni, an 18-year-old.

When all these threads start coming together, you will not be able to put this book down! Adding some needed light moments to the book are diversity issues in the police department.

Another great thriller by Sibel Hodge! More please!

It was a very well written book,even though the subject of the book was vile. Do people and actions exist I suppose they do, I must be very neive to think it doesn’t. I read the book would I read another book on this subject, the answer would be.no. How can you rate this book with stars it’s difficult to do.

I’m already a big fan of Sibel Hodge, so had high expectations for her latest book and what a great read it was.

Told from three different viewpoints – that of the policeman, the vigilante and the missing girl - this disturbing thriller about the Dark Web, is fast-paced, gripping and full of tension. It had me on the edge of my seat right up to its action-packed ending.

The book is well written, tightly plotted and the main characters are likeable. It is a perfect book for adaptation for the screen as either a TV series or a film.

This book was out there and great. Characters were strong and even if you couldn't like them all they were well written.

Wow - my heart rate has just returned to normal. This is the first book I’ve read by Sibel Hodge but it won’t be the last.

A young girl goes missing after stumbling on something gruesome on the Dark Web is being hunted for by a vigilante.. The murder of an elderly couple and a missing.prostitute is being investigated by a weary detective. How are they linked? The subject matter is a very difficult one that we’ve heard of but not really sure if it happens or not. This book leaves you in no doubt that it does. The research into this book has been meticulous.

Highly recommended.

Into the Darkness is a thriller that just didn't thrill me. This story is cleverly told from the point of view of three different people in alternating chapters, leaving the reader to wonder how all three stories are linked. I couldn't care less about any of these characters. I didn't find them realistic or credible. I kept reading in hopes that suddenly something "thrilling" was going to happen only to be more and more disappointed with the passing of every chapter.

I was provided an ARC of this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.