“That thought brought back to DeMarco a conversation he had shared with Thomas Huston, the first and so far only person to suggest to him that investigating a crime was a lot like writing a novel. Huston had explained that Chandler chose not to write typical mysteries, those in which the only thing that matters is the resolution, the solution to the mystery, but instead to write mysteries in which every scene matters, because every scene adds another layer to the main character.”*

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Ryan DeMarco wants nothing more than to leave his personal tragedies behind and create a future with lady love and private investigator partner Jayme. However, his estranged wife, dead son, new case, and ties to his deceased writer friend Thomas Huston root him in the past.

Ryan remains married to Laraine, even though they haven’t lived as man and wife since their son died. Her recent suicide attempt brings him back to Pennsylvania, where he runs into an old friend who asks Ryan to help him with a case. Three recent killings appear to be copycats of serial murders linked to the mob, the first of which occurred eighty years earlier. The detectives assigned to the case have a suspect with mob ties, but Ryan and Jayme follow clues that lead in a different direction. Meanwhile, Ryan starts a project reviewing documents that belonged to Huston for a posthumous book. Everything Ryan does seems to stir up the past, but if he fails to nurture his relationship with Jayme, he stands to lose everything he holds dear.

The opening quote about Huston and Chandler’s writing style is also true for Silvis’s voice. Each chapter digs deep into the psyches of Ryan and Jayme, both as individuals and as a couple. Jayme desperately tries to understand Ryan’s demons and help him heal, while he strives not to destroy her in the process. This book reveals more of their emotional baggage and sheds light on their deep bond. The past and present are in constant conflict, with Huston’s writings acting as a benevolent ghost.

As always Silvis brings his A-game by delivering gorgeous prose, layered characters, and an engrossing crime to solve. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for Ryan in the next installment of this fabulous series.

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the opportunity to experience this novel in advance of its release.

*Please note that my review is based on uncorrected text.

This is the third book I have read by Silvis and liked it very much. It's a who is the bad guy. The good guys are Demarco and his partner Jayme, no longer on the police force, but sort of independent contractors helping the police due partly to their expertise in a past case. It adds a human touch to read of the trials faced in the past, PTSD, loss of a child... all these have bearing on their lives and this story.

Who is murdering and butchering victims? Is it tied to other murders in a way that this is copy cat murders happening or is it the same person who got away with it in the past?

Pet Peeve: why was everything described as gray? The color was used often and seemed to stand out. One of his older books was nearby and again, gray was used a few times in the first few chapters. Not a problem, but it stood out in a way that made me go huh? Otherwise well written and flowed nicely. Good job.

Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest opinion.

Having enjoyed the previous installments in the Ryan DeMarco Mystery series, I was looking forward to diving into A Long Way Down. As per usual, Randall Silvis grabbed my attention from the very beginning! The storyline was fast paced and I found it hard to put my kindle down because I HAD to find out the who, what, where and how! My favorite part of Randall Silvis novels is that his mysteries always lead the reader down many roads which has me creating many, many conspiracy theories lol!!! A Long Way Down is a 4.5 star suspenseful mystery/thriller filled with unexpected twists and turns! I’m looking forward to seeing what Randall Silvis comes up with next in this addictive series!

This book was not for me. Not only was I already a bit turned off, finding out it was a series, I just could not get into it, i will update if this changes in the future, and did do a 3 star as a neutral, because it just wasn’t for me.
Will use in a challenge, as well as let the members of Chapter Chatter Pub know about it’s release!

I enjoyed the first book in the series, however the next two books did not live up to the first one.. The relationship/plot in this story seems way too forced. The characters are well developed, I wish the storytelling was a bit stronger.

I loved the first book in the series but have been disappointed in the next two. This one focuses a lot on the relationship between Ryan and Jayme and it feels a bit forced and cliched to me. The parts that bring in Thomas’s writings seem like a device to make the mystery more literary. To me it made those sections boring. The characters are solid I wish the storytelling was a bit stronger.
I was given a free copy from NetGalley to review.

This is a very real and hard story. It was a good beautifully written book with a fast paced plot.
Just a good read
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book

Randall Silvis writes beautifully. That said, none of the books in this Ryan De Marco series moved me in the way earlier Silvis books did. I'm a big fan of literate mysteries, so it is not the genre-crossing premise of these recent books that bothers me. Perhaps I've just been unable to engage with the lead characters, Ryan and Jayme.

This book is well-plotted and well-paced. It's worth reading just for its style and Silvis's wordsmithery. I was disappointed that, as in the two previous DeMarco books, there was a tendency to portray the antagonists as caricatures, just slightly over the top.

So -- certainly not a waste of time, although there were a few spots where it required effort for me to plow on. I'd strongly recommend that other readers seek out the author's earlier books. I'd give this a 3.5 rating, rounding up to 4 purely on my delight in the author.

Thanks to NetGalley for an advance readers copy.

A LONG WAY DOWN continued the odyssey of Ryan and Jayme as they return to Ryan's hometown to help solve recent ritualistic murders that link back to murders committed decades before. It's a good, interesting plot line but what makes the book really work is Silvis's deep dive into the heart of Ryan and Jayme's relationship and Ryan's continuing guilt over his son's depth. Very real, very hard. The only thing I didn't like were some views expressed by Ryan about "white guilt." It appears that Ryan sits comfortably in his white privilege without any of the deep introspection he ordinarily gives to any particular topic. Time to get woke, Ryan. Perhaps Mr. Silvis could benefit from reading Ta-Nehisi's BETWEEN THE WORLD AND ME.