A DI Denning and DS Fisher police procedural that moves along at a measured pace with the murder of an ex- detective with a dodgy past and the beating of a seemingly quiet academic the centre of the action. Without any apparent connection the investigation seems stymied but doubts surrounding the beaten victim start to reveal connections and the tale accelerates nicely as the revelations pile up. The appearance of a reformed east end villain from a previous episode is used as a potential red herring and he is left standing for a future episode!

Thanks to netgalley and Hera books for an ARC of this book in exchange of an honest review.
I think if i would have to describe this book in word, it'd be disappointing.
The story started really well with the death of an ex-copper, a kind of introduction to the members of the police team, but after that point it started to get out of hands.
Sudden clues started to appear, lots of monotonous dialogues, the pace became so slow.
The ending wasn't finished in the best ways,too.
So overall, it was a little bit boring

Thank you Netgalley for the advance copy m a man is discovered in a dingy flat in North London with his throat cut and tape over his mouth. DI Matt Denning is called to the scene and the victim is quickly named as a former DCI at the Met. Denning and his team including DS Molly Fisher start digging. They discover shocking crimes dating back 30 years involving very influential people. A face paced brilliant read.

This has been an interesting read, I had no idea that this was part of a series but I don't feel as though I have missed out.

I have really enjoyed the writing style in this one. It has been an easier read than I had initially anticipated.

The plot for this book had great potential, however I do feel that something was missing. I have enjoyed the plot and the mix of corrupt characters has been interesting.

I do adore the cover of this one, it is definitely an attention grabbing cover which makes you want to know more.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Hera Books for an advance copy of The Darkness Within, the third novel to feature DI Matt Denning and DS Molly Fisher of The Met’s East London MIT.

A decomposing body is found in a rundown flat and is quickly identified as former DCI Frank Buckfield, a former star of The Met. Then a man is seriously injured in an attack outside his home, but he’s not who he claims to be, a man who went missing twenty years ago. What links these cases? There are several possibilities but it looks like someone is trying to keep the past hidden.

I enjoyed The Darkness Within which has a multi-stranded plot that comes together cleverly over the course of the novel. There is little pizzazz to the novel, more hard graft and a gradual connection of facts and theories. I enjoy the grind of a police procedural and find the methodology/construction fascinating as it allows me construct my own theories as the plot progresses. I like that the narrative is told entirely from the investigative point of view, in this case Denning and Fisher, as I have no more information than they do to speculate with. In this case I didn’t get much right ahead of time but I had fun trying. As I said the plot is multi-stranded and gets quite intricate in how it comes together and is further complicated by the historical elements where it is hard to prove allegations and easy for suspects to twist their story to fit their narrative of innocence. I was impressed by the way this is done, plausible and almost impossible to disprove, providing some insight into the problems real life investigations face. It should be noted that some elements of this novel are based on recognisable events.

I like Denning and Fisher who go all in on their investigations, taking no nonsense from anyone. In policing circles this could be viewed as insubordination but to me they have rather archaic views on what merits respect.

The Darkness Within is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

Books that expose the seedier side of life and historic crimes of the like featured in The Darkness Within are a fabulous tool for raising awareness - neatly wrapped up in a gripping crime thriller! Well done, Graeme Hampton for featuring this subject matter.

The book follows the lives of Denning and Molly as they work to solve two apparently unrelated cases. In their pursuit of answers, they both inadvertently wander into murky waters - Denning truly by accident and Molly because she seems to seek out the most dangerous path!

There were times when the police procedural side of the story felt dreadfully concerning - they seem to all pull against each other at times rather then working as a team. It makes for scandalous reading, even if I wouldn't want them the be the team fighting in my corner!

Denning's family and friendships all felt a little cold to me. Molly's home life on the other hand is nothing short of a conundrum - it is hard to picture someone like her, so determined, dogged and full of inquiry, putting up with Jon. But then again, she is clearly a good lady with a good heart and who can blame her for feeling like she owe's it to him to stay? 

Colin's character, his history and his predicament felt all too real and tragic, the ills we suffer in childhood certainly do shape our future.

This is quite different to the previous book in the series. It very much focuses on the investigative side so not quite as much action although there was enough to make sure it is still an engrossing read.

Molly becomes fixated on the disappearance of a male from years before which has repercussions on her job. What I love about Molly is that she isn't afraid of going above and beyond in her role. Where as Denning tends to do everything by the book, she is a bit more of a live wire which makes things so much more interesting. Without a doubt she is may favourite between the two but Denning does come a close second.

My feelings for certain characters altered the further into the story I got and as certain revelations come to light. There are a fair few secrets and lies being covered up of which someone is determined to keep them that way and will stop at nothing to ensure they do. There is certainly an air of danger throughout.

The Darkness Within was quite a sombre read due to the nature of the storyline. How it all ends, affected me more than I had expected as like Molly, certain characters had got under my skin more than I realised. This meant that the story and characters stayed with me long after I had finished reading which is definitely a sign of a good writer. A solid and enjoyable read.

Finding the body of a former member of the Met with their throat slit is guaranteed to result in a high level investigation. An older man beaten to within an inch of his life on a quiet London street, not so much. If they are connected how do you prove it if only one crime is receiving the attention it deserves? 

This is the problem DI Matt Denning finds himself facing as he tries to keep working on both cases much to the irritation of his senior officers. Meanwhile DS Molly Fisher is concerned for the safety of a vulnerable young man who, she is sure, knows far more than he is telling about a quite horrific historical crime with links to the present day. Add to this a new DCI who wants a far more active role than is usual and life is getting very stressed for the entire team.

Once again Graeme Hampton has written a first class novel showing the darker side of London and the secrets it holds. Denning and Fisher are unusual in that both are excellent officers who let others persuade them not to follow their instincts. This time their insecurities are delved into in detail which adds extra depth to an already excellent series of books.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the opinions expressed are my own. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am sure others will too.

I don't like joining a series other than from book one, so I was pleased to find the first two books available online at 99p each.

I enjoyed both of those and the characters grew on me, so I was looking forward to reading book 3.

Like the previous two, it is a strong story, with believable characters. I felt perhaps that there was a bit of a push at the walls of police procedure and a slight lack of realism with some elements of the story, but not enough to ruin the experience as a reader.

if you don't like your books to be too dry, then this is a pleasantly paced story that will please you.

The first book I've read from this series. Unfortunately the only words I really have for it are lacking, dull and flat. The storyline has the potential to be a great read but the characters and writing just didn't do justice to the idea sadly.

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.

While there was nothing particularly wrong with this book, it left me cold somehow. Molly and Matthew are the most developed characters, but even they didn't really come alive for me - and what on earth does Molly (would anyone?) see in Jon?

The police procedural side of the story was full of officers being corrupt, officers going over each other's heads, officers being suspended, officers working unofficially, officers working unofficially with the press, officers being demoted etc etc. It didn't make you feel as if crime fighting was safe in their hands. On the plus side, Colin's character and dilemma felt realistic and therefore tragic.

If you enjoyed the first two in this series, I think you would like this instalment too.

A four out of five. I loved the story but didn’t engage with the main characters. I know this is the latest in a series and I would read future books but I’m in no rush to read the earlier ones.
The story looks at the ramifications of past crimes and who investigated them. Is there a serial killer today that coincidentally is killing people linked with past misdemeanours or is somebody exacting revenge.
The story itself is brilliant, I loved it, but that hook of feeling empathy with the main characters in a series was missing for me.