Every single time I start a Charlie Donlea book I’m reminded why I still love thrillers. He someone manages to breathe fresh life into the genre with each book and as someone who has been having a super hard time finding a thriller to blow me away, I appreciate this so much. His books just feel really skillful, the kind that have an impeccable attention to detail but are also twisty and gripping so the pages fly by at a rapid pace.

I love a well written story that alternates timelines and perspectives and there’s plenty of that here. Rory is the present day character and she’s a forensic reconstructionist which is such a fascinating occupation and one that I really never gave much thought to before reading this book. She begins looking into a cold case that her late father was somehow wrapped up in and then you also hear from Angela back in the late seventies. There’s also a couple of more POV but I won’t mention them for fear of spoilers, but they came together and all made up a super compelling storyline that I seriously could not put down.

Donlea is one of those authors who does the best job of leading the reader down one seemingly straightforward path only to take a sharp left (and then maybe a right) turn just when you think you know exactly what will happen next. There are so many intricate plot points that even if I figured out some, I never quite pieced everything together and I really enjoyed the ride regardless of what I already knew and also what I didn’t know.

As much as I found myself racing through this is does have more of a slow burn feel than his previous books and the suspense builds gradually but I found it to be gripping nevertheless. I just love his books and am a firm fan, though this may not be my absolute favorite book from him, it’s still a really solid read and most definitely worth adding to your TBR.

Some Choose Darkness in three words: Entertaining, Compelling and Addicting.

I've read and thoroughly enjoyed all this author's previous books so I had high hopes that this would also hit the spot for me. It didn't take long to suck me in and...well... that was me done for the rest of the day.
Rory is a forensic reconstructionist (yup, that's a new one on me too) and she spends her time analysing cold cases by piecing together things in a way that sheds new light on them. Her father has sadly just died and she is in the process of sorting out his law office when she takes a phone call that forces her to examine an old cold case that her father once worked on.
Many years ago, 5 women disappeared. Their bodies never found. No clues to what happened to them. Until one day, a woman, Angela, sent a package to the police pointing them in the direction of the perpetrator. But before she could be questioned, she also disappeared. The man implicated was tried and convicted of the murder of Angela (yes without a body) and, back in the present day, he is about to be paroled.
How does this connect to Rory, why has she been called? Well, it appears that the man was her father's client and that, on his death, the case has fallen to her to continue as she is a partner in the firm. With the client ever pleading his innocence, Rory is forced to re-examine the events of the past in her own inimitable way - to get to the truth once and for all...
This was a dark and disturbing read. As with his previous books, the author drew me in with his wonderful character driven narrative and excellent plot and, as already mentioned, once I started, I was very reluctant to put the book aside, even for a moment. The suspense kept building with each new piece of evidence uncovered, each flashback to Angela's life and investigation, until eventually... well, let's just say it all comes together very nicely indeed. In fact, I kicked myself when I saw things with hindsight that I missed on the way through.
Some books with multiple timelines lose flow along the way. Here, the past is injected at exactly the right moment to give background and colour seamlessly into what is going on in the present.
What also really impressed me was that we also had two similar women living through similar challenges in very different times and I loved how the difference in acceptance of autism and living on the spectrum, was portrayed for both Angela and Rory. How times have changed - for the better, I hasten to add.
All the previous book I have read from the author have been stand alone but it would be a real shame if he didn't build on the foundations he has laid in this book with regard to Rory. As a character she is wonderful. Although there is a whole complex backstory that is mostly ironed out in this book, I firmly believe that she has more to say and do, and I for one would love this to be a series opener or even, if the author prefers, have her as a smaller role in a future book.
All in all, a cracking addition to an already impressive back catalogue. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

I remember reading the first book by Charlie Donlea and enjoying it so much, and that didn't change with his other books. Some Choose Darkness is no exception.

I loved the story, the various fascinating characters, the way it's written and I like stories told between different timelines.
Rory Moore, a forensic reconstructionist, is obliged after her father's death to deal with the various cases he was working on. One case, one client in particular takes all her attention and leads her in a disturbing discoveries.
Forty years ago, Angela Mitchell, an amazing autistic woman, is trying on her own to find the solution to the wave of disappearance of women and to figure out who the culprit known as "The Thief" really is.

As simple as this seems, the story took many unexpected turns and i liked that. I also appreciated the absence of gruesome torture scenes, still many scenes were really intense.
Rory was very interesting and i would have liked to have more details about her work, and i would love to read other books with her as the main character, not exactly like a series but i feel there could be much more told about her and her methods.
Overall, i greatly enjoyed this book, i would recommend it and i can't wait for the next one by Charlie Donlea.

WOW....WOW...WOW... 4.5 stars

Now that was a surprisingly great read.      Some Choose Darkness  by Charlie Donlea made for absolutely compelling reading.  When I started I had just finished reading a humorous yet compassionate memoir so the first few pages felt like a jarring contrast.    It seemed apparent this was going to contain ugly, brutal and dark scenes and I wondered why on earth I'd chosen to read it.   Those sentiments were short lived though as a few pages in I was desperate for more time to keep reading.   Charlie Donlea had snared my attention and I was helpless to resist.  From start to finish I made notes about my many theories and was continuously revising them and trying to predict how it would all come together.    There were some elements I pieced together correctly but on the whole I was quite off target making for some interesting ahaa moments.

Rory Moore the lead character is a forensic reconstructionist who solves cold cases.   She is certainly not without her foibles but I liked the way she was flawed.   She knows who she is, how she functions and she makes the utmost of her strengths instead of trying to change to meet societal expectations.   Throughout the book Rory remained true to character and I'd love to see her make a return in a sequel.   The story alternated between 2019 and the time in 1979 when the crimes were being committed.      Angela Mitchell provided first person insights into the events of that time and  the author cleverly spliced the time lines and characters from each era.

This was a terrific, suspense filled novel - the second I've read by this author and I'm quite certain it will not be my last.   My thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Publishers who lured me in with a letter from Rory the protagonist.    <b><i>Some Choose Darkness.  Others Are Chosen By It. </i> </b>   I'm so glad I chose to be tempted and hope you will be too.

This is a really good read. The plot has been very well thought out and had me gripped the whole way through. I guessed the ending but that did not take away from my enjoyment of the book. I liked the characters and the setting. The whole story is told really well and I would definitely recommend this book.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

There is something so brilliant, addicting, and mesmerizing about Charlie Donlea's writing.

"Some choose darkness, others are chosen by it."

Some Choose Darkness... let me tell you...you MUST choose this darkness. MY GOD was this ridiculously brilliant!!!

Ahh... Charlie Donlea does it ONCE again folks. If you haven't read his books... you must be living under a rock because he is a masterful storyteller that you truly don't want to miss out on. I'm DYING to get my hands on his next book already.

This a dark psychological thriller that leaves you up turning those pages. I'm not going to go into the plot... because for all purposes I don't feel it's necessary because you can read the blurb ;). But, bottom line GET this in your life!

Huge thank you to Netgalley and Kensington Publishing for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

5 stars!

Publication date: 5/28/19
Published to Goodreads: 5/8/19

Some Choose Darkness


Donlea’s writing is masterful and keeps your head in the book

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

SUMMARY
Forensic reconstructionist Rory Moore pieces together crime scene details others fail to see on cold cases for the Chicago Police Department. Cleaning out her late father’s law office a week after his burial, she receives a call that plunges her into a decades-old case.
 
In the summer of 1979, five Chicago women went missing. The predator, nicknamed The Thief, left no bodies and no clues behind—until police received a package from a mysterious woman named Angela Mitchell, whose unconventional investigation skills appear to have led to his identity. But before they could question her, Angela who has autism disappeared. Forty years later, The Thief is about to be paroled for Angela’s murder—the only crime the DA could pin on him. But the cryptic file Rory finds in her father’s law office suggests there is more to the case, and Angela Mitchell, than what was known by the public, the details of which have been buried for four decades.
 
Rory’s begins reconstructing Angela’s last days. Drawing connections between the past and present, Rory uncovers dark truths about the reclusive victim, her father, and the man called The Thief that send her down a twisting trail where things may not be as they appear. As she continues to dig, Rory may not be prepared for what she uncovers.

Is it true that some choose darkness, while others are chosen by it?

REVIEW
I couldn’t stop myself from inhaling the pages of this breath-taking thriller. SOME CHOOSE DARKNESS grabbed me on page one and didn’t let go until the last page was turned. The story was simply mesmerizing.

My favorite part the the book were the two main female characters, Angela and Rory. Both are brave, unique and fascinatingly brilliant women, who can remember everything they see and see things others can’t. Author CHARLIE DONLEA portrays these women and the difficulties they face in a compassionate and inspiring manor. I also loved how Rory and her Aunt Greta expertly repair china dolls for relaxation. Donlea’s writing is masterful and it keeps your head in the book.

Donlea is a bestselling author of three other acclaimed thrillers, Summit Lake, Don’t Believe It and The Girl Who Was Taken He lives in Chicago with his wife and two young children and spends a part of each year fishing with his father in the far reaches of Canada, where the roads end and lakes are accessible only by floatplane. Thanks to Netgalley, Charlie Donlea and Kensington for an advance reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.


Publisher Kensington Books
Published May 28, 2019
Review www.bluestockingreviews.com

Thank you to Kensington Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Charlie Donlea is does a great job at telling this story. I'm a sucker for multiple POVs, and this delivers on so many levels, including dual timelines. Plus it involves not one but two strong and on-the-spectrum female leads. This is not a fast-paced, action-filled story, but I loved the way it developed. The characters were well-written and the plot tight and it pulled me in. Parts of this were definitely dark and disturbing, but so compulsively readable and emotionally true.

The only criticism I might have is that the denouement was quite clear fairly quickly and not a surprise to anyone but, surprisingly, the heroine.

Rory is a forensic reconstructionist and a lawyer. She’s on the autism spectrum and uses her skills to work on cold cases that require deep analysis. When her father dies, she is also tasked with finishing up the cases he was working on. One of those cases involves a parole hearing for a man nicknamed The Thief, who was convicted of murdering a woman 40 years ago.

We also are given a glimpse of that woman, Angela who is also on the spectrum, in addition to suffering from paranoia and OCD.

It took me awhile to get into this story. I had some questions about some of the premises of the story. But I was willing to overlook them, as the book definitely drew me in. Yes, I could see some of where it was going but the thrill was in seeing if I was right and what I might have missed. And boy, did I miss one big twist.

We hear from not only Rory and Angela, but Frank and the killer himself. The multi POVs work well here, giving the reader insights the main character lacks. The strength of the book is the characters. Both Rory and Angela are well developed and felt very real to me.

This isn’t a fast paced book. It moves at a steady pace, but it never lags. I thought there were way too many holes in the ending for it to be believable and my rating was taken down a star for that reason.

I recommend this for those that enjoy Estelle Ryan’s Genevieve Lenard series.

My thanks to netgalley and Kensington Books for an advance copy of this book.

Some Choose Darkness
By Charlie Donlea
May 28, 2019


In the summer of 1979, Angela Mitchell finds herself anxious and concerned over the recent missing women in the city of Chicago. Once Angela settles on a problem, the obsessive compulsive woman studies the issue until she can find a solution. She has read the newspaper articles, clipped them all and put them in her files. She has gone to the public library to find more information on the women, who they are, what they were doing when they were taken. Each day for her becomes more concerning. In trying to put her mind on to something else, after taking out the garbage one morning, she looked in the garage. It was her husband’s work space. Thomas didn’t want her rummaging through his tools and objects he collected and left on the shelves but she needed something to do. When she saw the old couch left there to collect magazines and trash she cleaned it off. If she could only get it into the alley by the apartments perhaps she could convince the trash men to take it. Studying the shelves she saw the old wedding gifts that were left to collect items,dirt and whatnot. She picked up the picnic basket that had a spot for a wine bottle. Nice thought but she would never want to sit on the filthy ground and eat lunch with insects and germs. Inside she finds a small box, in it is a beautiful diamond necklace with green gems attached. Perhaps an anniversary gift from Thomas. Worried about spoiling the surprise she carefully returns it to the exact place. Getting back to the couch she pushes and works it into the edge of the alley. Turning around a man is standing behind her. He asks if he can help. Angela is paralyzed by the man's sudden appearance. She tells him no, to leave but he persists talking. His dark eyes continued to stare at her. Now fear takes over, she flies out of the garage and into the back door. closes the backdoor. Carefully locks each of the three locks and heads to the window to make certain he has left, then repeats the opening and closing of each lock
Angela is a troubled yet extremely bright young woman. Her plotting of the missing women and the murder of one of them is extremely well thought out. Her only friend Catherine advises her to take her information to the police. She has thought about doing just that but because of her illness she cannot possibly take a chance at their laughing and putting her off as a ‘retard’ as so many people have.
This mystery is very well written. The plot is divided between the summer of 1979 and the present day. Only one of the missing women are listed as a cold case. Rory Moore works with the police on such cases. Rory has some of the same problems as Angela. Once she begins a case she has the ability to work tediously until she sheds light onto the solution.
This is a first Charlie Donlea novel for me. I will say that once I had read enough of this selection to know the plot and the characters, I was completely taken by it. When I wasn’t reading the novel, I found my mind wandering to the solution. True, I do enjoy a good mystery and perhaps Some Choose Darkness just hit the mark. It is due to be published May 28, 2019. Should you be a fan of Charlie Donlea or just a mystery lover, this is a great selection.

We all have moments when we just can't seem to cope with the bullshit of the world, the main characters in this book confront this all the time. The descriptions of the challenges to fit in with 'normal' behaviors are very illuminating.

High functioning would be the term I guess would be applied to both women. The elements of tenacity and focus and brilliance are balanced by distance and discomfort.
Secrets from a father shed light on secrets from a murderer with repercussions that last for decades.

I did enjoy this book, and while some of the twists weren't that surprising, it did take a while to figure them out.
More adventures with Rory and Lane will be very welcome.

My first book by Charlie Donlea. I found it very enjoyable with lots of twists and turns. The main character, Rory, had a lot of personality quirks but was very likable. I did not want to put this book down and found it engrossing. I will definitely read more books by Charlie Donlea.

Read this book and then look at your neighbors and wonder. This is the first book by Charlie Donlea for me and I am quickly searching for another. The book blurb gives the premise, and the book is so much better than that. There are two story lines running parallel which is usually my ignore, do not read sign. I am soooo glad I did not listen to myself. We have two strong women with oddities, quirks, that are not diagnosed or pointed out at the get go, so I myself will not. I admit to having a few issues with them, because of my lack of knowledge, and being forced outside of my comfort zone. Thank you Mr Donlea, well done and definitely needed, as I grew to know them, I became them due to your gift of writing. The death of Rory's dad opens more issues as Rory continues on with her life. I was lead down the wrong path, turned around and hoodwinked by The Thief. There is a lifetime of books that can come from this book, please tell me this is not the only one. Thank you Mr Donlea, Kensington Books and NetGalley for this arc, a truly awesome psychological thriller that has me looking at my neighbors and wondering......could they to be a Thief. All thoughts and opinions are my own and were unsolicited.

I have a huge soft spot for characters who are a little different. In a sea of stereotypes it’s the ones that don’t fit in who are more interesting. In this gripping story we’re introduced to Rory Moore, an MC who stands out from the crowd for several reasons.

Rory is a forensic reconstructionist. Occasionally she works on cold cases for the Chicago PD under the supervision of Det. Ron Davidson. Her specialty is recreating a crime scene in such minute detail that often new information is revealed. It’s a gift & her uncanny abilities are a direct result of her being somewhere on the autism spectrum.

Ron has just dropped another case in her lap when Rory gets the news her father has died. It’s a terrible blow made more difficult when she takes on the job of closing his law practice. She discovers he’s been representing an infamous convicted killer since 1979. That was the year 5 women went missing courtesy of a man nicknamed “The Thief”. Despite a massive search, police were only able to nail him for one. Her name was Angela Mitchell & she was credited with identifying him. After numerous applications made by Rory’s father, it looks like he’s finally been granted parole & the job of guiding him through the process falls to Rory.

There are dual time lines & in alternate chapters we follow Angela in 1979. She, too, is a little different. Intelligent but socially awkward, Angela deals with the daily challenge of appearing “normal”. With the help of a supportive husband, she just about manages to keep a lid on the personal tics that can take over her life. That summer, everyone is talking about “The Thief”. She is soon obsessed with following the investigation & begins to see patterns others miss. Eventually, she’s sure she knows who the killer is. Then Angela becomes missing woman #6.

That’s it from me about the plot. The less you know going in, the better & I don’t want to deprive you of one “Holy Crap!” moment. Just get used to saying it because you will. A lot. Given the subject matter, much of the prose is surprisingly low key. You have a chance to get to know Rory & Angela before events begin to spin out of control in both time lines. In terms of the big picture, it’s like little puzzle pieces are littered throughout the story. Some I picked up, others I completely missed. The overall plot is intricate & as that picture emerges, it becomes a tense & compulsive read. I should mention we also get chapters narrated by the killer, a man who had me praying to the Gods of Karma that he’d get what he so richly deserved.

The author does a good job of portraying how times have changed (somewhat) for people living with degrees of autism. Rory is accepted by those she allows in her life & appreciated for her abilities. Angela has to deal with patronizing smiles & labels such as “slow” or “retarded”. It’s not overplayed, just presented as a fact of life for both women.

I’ve heard other readers say they were disappointed by the finale but I thought it was perfect & very much in keeping with the characters involved. The author knows how to spin a story that keeps you reading & has created a compelling MC. If there’s a Rory 2.0 in the works, sign me up.

F-ING AMAZING BOOK!!! I would give this book ten stars if I could! It has truly been a while since I’ve read a book that has gotten this reaction out of me. I have been looking for a book that had me so engrossed that I couldn’t put it down. So amazingly written and multiple amazing twists and turns that I didn’t see coming! A must read for sure. 10/10 would recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley, Charlie Donlea and Kensington Books for the free e-book in exchange for an honest review.

Rory Moore is a forensic reconstructionist and sheds light on unsolved cold cases and can offer details that the detectives couldn’t see. Cleaning out her father’s office after his death leads to Rory getting thrown into a decade old case that her father was involved in. In 1979 many women went missing and they called the predator The Thief, until the police receive a letter from Angela Mitchell who has seemed to solve the crime through some unorthodox methods. Rory is reconstructing Angela’s last days and another killer emerges from the shadow, replicating those murders from long ago.

I was thrilled to finally be able to get my hands on one of Donlea’s mysteries and I was not disappointed! I flew through this novel totally in love with Rory and Angela’s stories and how they come together in the ending. I loved that Rory wasn’t a detective and how differently she can go about finding out who has committed a crime. This was a unique story and I couldn’t stop reading to find out what was going to happen next. I adored going back and forth between the past with Angela and the present with Rory to see how the cases were coming together in two different times and I loved being able to try to put the pieces together at the same time as Rory. It was a dark atmospheric novel that kept me guessing right up until the very end! Definitely recommend!

Out May 28th

Sometimes you don't want to see the truth, even if it is right in front of you.

Rory Moore followed in her father's footsteps and became an attorney. She doesn't, however, practice law as she has some personal issues that led her instead to a career as a forensic reconstructionist and she works exclusively for the Murder Accountability Project (yes, that's a real thing) and the Chicago Police Department. Her job is to figure out details about a murder that others involved might have missed to bring a killer to justice. As she begins to investigate the death of 22-year-old Camille Byrd, Rory is pulled away to take care of her father's legal practice after he dies suddenly of a heart attack. Rory used to do some limited work for the Moore Law Group as it was a one-man firm and sometimes her father needed help with research or trial prep. Now she has to clear his cases - the pending, the retired and the open ones. Unfortunately, one of the cases relates to "The Thief", a man convicted of murdering his wife and sentenced to 60 years in prison. After decades, he's finally coming up for parole and the judge decrees that Rory work with the convict to manage his release from the prison where he's been for 40 years.

A new voice -- that of Angela Mitchell from the past. She's a young housewife with autism, OCD and anxiety. She becomes fixated on a series of murders that occurred locally in 1979 and pursues the details, draws up charts and makes connections that make her suspect that it is the work of a serial killer. There were 5 victims, disappeared women, and the bodies were never found though all are considered dead. No one was convicted. Angela can't let it go and becomes totally obsessed. With her issues and essentially without anyone to believe her, she figures out what she must do. She believes she has the answers. Then she, too, disappears. Is she another victim of "The Thief"? NO SPOILERS.

This was an extremely fast-paced and suspenseful story that gripped me from the beginning and FORCED me to read all in one sitting. I loved the flip back and forth between 1979 and present day, and the different points of view throughout the narrative. I had guesses and more guesses and couldn't wait to get to the revelations with the conclusion quite satsifactory. The characters were very interesting and I really got into the fact that they both were on the spectrum but were able to function despite their limitations. I love Donlea's writing style and I've read all his previous books as well -- I urge you to pick one up and see if you don't enjoy them too!

I'd like to thank NetGalley and Kensington Books for this e-book ARC to read and review. I'll definitely be recommending it to anyone who enjoys this genre and likes a great mystery with a deftly crafted plot.

This book started out a little slow for me but by the half way point I was hooked.
The books follows two stories. One in the Summer of 1979 where a serial killer called
The Thief is terrorizing the city and another in present day with Rory who reconstructs crimes. Rory's father passes away and she finds out secrets he has been hiding about her and about his client know as The Thief.
I've read all of Charlie Donlea's books and look forward to the next one.

Thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this book for review.

Another great suspense novel by Charlie Donlea! I felt that "Some Choose Darkness" started a little slow but it definitely got its hook in me quickly - couldn't put it down wanting to see where the next twist would take me, interesting characters and a fitting end.! Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy.

I tried to read this book but it didn't capture my interest. The main character was not engaging and I found the story to be too slow moving.