Member Reviews
Book Title: All the Dark Place
Author: Terri Parlato
Narrators: Stephanie Cozart and Christine Moore
Publisher: RB Media
Genre: Mystery Thriller
Pub Date: December 27, 2022
Rating 4 Stars
Story is told from the POV of Molly Bradley and Detective Rita Myers.
Story starts with Molly celebrating her husband Jay's fortieth birthday with a group of close friends. The next morning she finds him murdered in his home office.
Dr. Jay Bradley is a psychologist, considered a nice guy and the perfect husband. So who would want to kill him?
Authorities’ suspect the killer was from the Bradley’s circle of friends, perhaps a disgruntled client, or even someone Dr, Bradley interviewed for his book on Abnormal Psychology and the Criminal mind,
Molly is a quiet person and gives us hints of traumatic event that happened when she was a child. She was nicknamed ‘The Girl in the Cellar’ by the media only immediate family and he husband know about it. In fact, Molly met Jay when she went to him as a patient.
After Jay’s death Molly starts receiving threatening phone calls from someone who knows her past.
Molly decides she needs some protection and goes to the animal shelter for a dog that will serve as a ‘support dog’. Readers who like dogs will love Sadie and will cheering for her to help Molly.
About a third into the story has the addition of a missing woman whose necklace turns up in Dr. Bradley’s things. Hmmm
There are many characters and multiple issues which kept me guessing!
This seemed to be a bit too much- hard to believe only 358 pages.
I kept at it and loved the ending!
I liked Rita.
I have a low tolerance for profanity and it always more difficult for me via audiobook ~ cannot – unhear it! ~ Whereas, in a book I can skip.
I do ‘get’ that nasty people talk nasty!
Want to thank NetGalley and RB Media for granted me this early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for December 27, 2022
3.75 Stars
A pretty solid mystery/thriller novel.
After a night of celebrating Molly's husband's birthday with close friends, Molly finds him dead in his office. Throat slit open. As detectives tries to uncover the truth, Molly can no longer hide her dark past.
I wish there could of been more scenes of Molly as child, especially her time in the cellar. This way, as a reader I would feel more emotionally attached to the character. We got little glimpses here and there but it wasn't enough. The novel just needed a little bit more of that emotional pull to draw the readers in. Other than that, it was well written debut novel that will have you guessing the entire time.
***I would like to thank NetGalley, Terri Parlato (the author), and RB Media for graciously sending me the audiobook to review. As always, all thoughts are my own.*
Your birthday is supposed to be a special day, not your death day too. Unlucky for Jay, it’s going to be both. After a boozy night of dinner and laughs with his tight friend group, Jay’s wife Molly finds him death in his office the next morning.
Who would do this to Jay?! Everyone loved him. He was the glue that held them all together. He was a gutsy and ambitious psychologist that was quietly trying to write a book on murderers. He kept this secret from Molly because she has her own tragic past and it would have been triggering for her but she will never get to ask him.
They look at his wife and friends first and it turns out there is more to the group than meets the eye. They all have their secrets, but would someone kill to keep them?
This was great! Part police procedural, part sleuthing from Jay’s widow, we get a bird’s eye view into the story from all angles. I don’t usually usually care for the narration from the cop/investigator but Rita was really likable and wanted to get to the truth. She didn’t get tunnel vision and let it take her down only one path.
With twists along the way to keep you interested, this is the perfect mystery to finish in one weekend!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to listen and review. The audio narration was great!
Why didn't I give "all the stars" to "All the Dark Places"?
I was elated when I was approved by the publisher to review this book.
WHY?
It's a book about a savage murder that rocked a quiet Massachusetts suburb.
Although I hesitate to admit this, "savage murder" books are my sweet spot.
I live in a quiet Massachusetts suburb and I almost always enjoy books set in Massachusetts.
SO WHAT HAPPENED?
Even though the author did a superb job with the book's characterizations and police procedurals, the book simply lacked the pacing, energy, intrigue, and excitement that I was seeking.
I listened to the 10-hour audiobook that easily could have been a 6-hour book.
So many times, I kept on asking myself the "Are We There, Yet?" question.
I always enjoy audiobooks with multiple narrators and narrators Christina Moore and Stephanie Cozart did an over-the-top job with the narration.
Overall, this was an impressive debut for author Terri Parlato and I will be looking forward to listening to this author's future releases.
Special thanks to NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
3.5 stars
Lets talk about this twisty book.
We have a woman whose husband is murdered the night of this 40th birthday party. She wakes up and finds him and then things get even worse for her.
I will say that I am not okay with fake service animals. We don't hang out with people who have fake service animals, but our girl needs someone and she ends up adopting an awesome dog.
Things get bad for her but she keeps going.
Anyway, yeah this was a crazy book.
I can't say anything more without revealing spoilers.
Oh and I loved the narrators.
This is a fantastic debut thriller!
I like the cover a lot😍
This book hooked me right from the start, I was immediately drawn into this storyline& the short chapters had me reading quickly 👀
Molly wakes up after her husband's 40th birthday party to find him dead😱
Chapters alternate between 2 POV: Detective Rita digging into his murder and Molly, whose past begins to catch up with her as she grapples with the loss of her husband.
I enjoyed this story, didn’t guess the bad guy & liked the ending.
I will definitely read this authors next book 🤓
Thank You to RB media for the ARC thru NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review!
This book is set to be Published 12/27/2022.
After an evening of celebrating Jay, her husband's 40th birthday with friends, Molly wakes up to find him dead in his office. Who would want to kill him? He's a nice guy and everyone holds him in high regard.
Detective Rita Myers and her partner, Chase are called in to investigate Jay's murder. Rita is a seasoned detective and has seen it all. She is certain that someone in their close group of friends has killed him. But who and why?
While grieving Jay's death, Molly begins to wonder if she knew her husband as well as she thought she did. He knows her, her past and what haunts her. Does anyone else know what Jay knew?
This is a police procedural told through the POV of both Molly and Rita. I listened to the audiobook and the narrators were fantastic! I can't say that enough, great job! This was a solid book and although I enjoyed it, there was something missing which I can't put my finger on which would have made me love it.
I always enjoy trying to do my own super sleuthing while reading whodunit's and had several suspects. I enjoyed Rita whereas Molly did not wow me. I did enjoy her backstory, but Rita stole the show for me.
#AllTheDarkPlaces #NetGalley
A must read.
Snow falls softly outside Molly Bradley’s home on a frigid January night. Inside, half a dozen close friends are gathered to celebrate the fortieth birthday of Molly’s psychologist husband, Jay. Candlelight gleams against dark wood, wine flows, and the house rings with laughter. Everybody loves Jay, Molly most of all. Yet next morning, Molly discovers Jay dead on the floor of his office, his throat brutally slashed. After decades working with the Boston PD, Detective Rita Myers has grown accustomed to the banality of evil—the murders that make no sense beyond bad luck or a tragic brush with the worst of humanity. But Jay Bradley’s murder isn’t random, or a mere crime of opportunity. Rita is convinced that someone in the couple’s small circle killed him. Someone who was celebrating with them that night. Devastated, Molly tries to make sense of her husband’s death. Jay was her rock, the only person who really understood the nightmare she lived through long ago. He knew the horrors she’s kept hidden even from her friends. But shocking revelations are making her question if Jay was all he seemed to be—and whether someone else knows her past too. And until Molly figures out who she can really trust, she won’t be able to stop herself becoming the next target .
Loved it so much. It was creepy.
Thanks to NetGalley and TB media for giving me an advance copy.
All The Dark Places 🌙
By Terri Parlato💫
Review📖
Omg! This book! I was hooked immediately and really loved the authors writing style. This was fast paced and I enjoyed all the twists and turns. This is definitely one of those books you can’t stop reading because you have to know what happens! I loved how as soon as you thought you knew something, another clue came you were lost again. I honestly can’t believe this is a debut novel because it’s so incredibly well done. It’s law and order,but better. Highly recommend to anyone who loves a good mystery/ thriller.
Multiple POVs👄
Thriller🔪
Mystery❓
Domestic thriller💥
Lots of twists and turns🌪️
Agatha Christie vibes🍃
5 stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I was pleasantly surprised by this book! Usually I can see where the story is going in mysteries and thrillers, but in this one I was left guessing! Almost none of my predictions were right, but when I looked back, the foreshadowing was definitely there, but very cleverly hidden!
I love books where I can look back and see the foreshadowing I missed at first, and this one was definitely one of those.
The main characters were well developed and I enjoyed seeing how their lives changed because of the events in this book.
I don't want to say too much about the plot of the book at risk of spoiling something unintentionally, but just know that I loved it, and I'm looking forward to reading more from this author.
A fabulous twisty mystery that keeps you guessing!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy of the audiobook.
This book was okay. I don’t really understand the need for the split narrative between the detective and the main character Molly. I don’t think it really added anything to the book. I also am annoyed that <spoiler>The happy ending always needs to somehow include a child. Why??? Also the “confession” at the end was also unnecessary?</spoiler> I feel like the author tried too hard to wrap every single thing up neatly and ended up with unnecessary scenes and dialogue.
Overall the story was well written and the audiobook kept me engaged and listening.
This didn’t blow me out of the water but it was a very good debut and hit on all of the key points that make up a successful psychological thriller. There was intrigue, mystery, suspense and a plethora of unrighteous characters. The dual narrators, one the wife of the victim and the other a police officer, added an extra layer of suspense to this and kept the plot moving along. The two narrators on the audiobook rendition did a fabulous job of interpreting the events of the book and portraying their characters. Their voices were easy to listen to and the acting was superb. I found the ending to be so-so and not entirely plausible. This will appeal to fans of Mary Kubica and Megan Miranda.
When Molly woke up and didn’t smell coffee brewing she knew something was wrong and when she found her husband in a pool of blood in his private office she was aware of that life as she knew it was over but little did she know this was only the beginning. The beginning of the investigation, the beginning of her tight friendship group coming apart and the beginning of all the secrets she kept so deeply buried coming out. Molly lived through a nightmare and unfortunately someone wanted her to relive it. when detective Rita starts investigating Jace murder she has a few suspects, but before it’s over there will be a twist the detective isn’t prepared for but is more than capable of handling. Let me just say there was a point in this book when I was like really eye roll… But this book was so good I soldiered on, Molly is so likable and except for that one hiccup it really is a good mystery wrapped in a great thriller. I don’t believe I have ever read a book by this author but count me in for future endeavors I am totally on board. The narrators the such a great job and they had the perfect voices for the characters they did they both had such distinct character betrayals and you could tell who was talking and when with both of them so kudos to these ladies. My apologies for not remembering your names. I love this book and highly recommend it I’ve received it from NetGalley and RecordedBooks but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review
4 stars
Readers looking for an engaging, nicely paced mystery/thriller need look no further than _All the Dark Places_!
Molly, the m.c., wakes up the morning after her apparently perfect husband's 40th birthday celebration in their home to find his brutalized body. With no recollection of major parts of the night, a sleep made deeper by indulging at the party, and a mysterious traumatic past, Molly has no idea who might have wanted to kill her husband or - generally - why her luck is so terrible.
One of the detectives on the case, Rita, is a highlight of the novel, and I want to read a whole series focused on her. Her perspective was my favorite to read, and the narration of her character in the audiobook really makes her come to life. I love the centering of smart, reasonable women in this piece: something most mysteries/thrillers just do not do well at all.
The perspectives and details all come together in satisfying ways. Anytime the m.c. has been the victim of or at least closely touched by MULTIPLE major crimes, I'm skeptical, but the rollout, periodic misdirection, and general structure make this a fun read. Will some readers guess correctly what's happening? Yes. Will they be disappointed? Not if they enjoy the characters and big picture as much as I did.
I really enjoyed the audiobook and recommend this version when/where accessible. Parlato is on my to-read list for all upcoming mystery/thriller efforts.
Detective Meyers is an interesting character I would love to know more about. Maybe this could become a series with the Detective as the main protagonist, as long as she does not become a boring and flat character as Molly. A shadow of her husband, Molly is nothing but an uninteresting woman. I would like to know more about her inner life, not just about her as a wife and wannabe mother. Neither was I interested in her social life. Probably an extrovert, that is what she is, the kind of protagonists I don't enjoy reading about, the kind of people whose lives are all about other people, never about themselves. The plot is NOT ORIGINAL. It has been used a lot of times in books and movies. The best part is the NARRATION!! The narration is SPECTACULAR!! Thank you NetGalley for an Audiobook in exchange for an honest review!
Thank you so much, Netgalley for an advance copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
First, to get the book review out of the way, I quite liked it. I grew to love Rita and loved that she had a quirk of drawing to calm her, however I so much wish that that aspect was used to more as an actual plot. I felt a tad disappointed that it didn't actually have to do with anything. Perhaps this author will continue a Rita series? I'd be here for that.
Second, this was an audiobook, so I must comment on the narrators. They were both great. The voice for Rita threw me off at first because I guess it wasn't a voice and inflection I would have imagined... until it seemed to just click into place and totally make the whole character for me! Loved her!
My understanding is that this is a debut novel, so I think it was a good one!
All the dark places is a legit true crime and I am here for it!!
Molly wakes up the morning after her husband, Jay’s, 40th birthday party with close friends, to find him dead. Murdered in their home. His was a psychologist, and met molly in a session because of her own traumatic past.
A seasoned Boston PD detective in on the case, working with a sheriff from a nearby town whose missing persons case might be intertwined with Jay’s death.
Dual POV between Molly and Detective Myers legit had me up listening to this way past my bedtime. Also? Every interview had me thinking “it was this person!”…until the next interview hit…
I was obsessed!
5/5 stars!!
Thank you NetGalley and RB Media fir the opportunity to listen to this amazing debut!!
A middle of the road read for me - while those who enjoy the occasional crime thriller will lap this up, I didn't feel the characters were rounded out enough for my liking. I didn't connect with the main character or the death of her husband (he didn't feel 'real') and found the twists to be shocking only in the sense that it didn't fit. I didn't feel baffled, rather confused.
All the Dark Places by Terri Parlato
Narrated by Stephanie Cozart; Christina Moore (6 hrs 15 min)
Women's Fiction, Mystery & Thriller
Audiobook available December 27th.
The audiobook of All the Dark Places is baffling and suspenseful. In order to keep listeners off track, Terri Parlato uses red herrings to great effect. Narrators add the right amount of voice modulation and characterisation. Throughout the entire process, I was fully engaged.
Synopsis:
Molly Bradley's psychologist husband, Jay, celebrates his 40th birthday with friends. Early the next morning, Molly finds Jay dead on the floor of his office, his throat brutally slashed.
It has become second nature for Detective Rita Myers to deal with wrongdoing in the Boston Police Department. Nonetheless, Jay Bradley's murder was not a random act. Rita believes a close friend brutally murdered him. Someone who was at the birthday party that night.
Thank you NetGalley and RB Media for sharing this audiobook with me. Your kindness is appreciated.
#AllTheDarkPlaces
Thank you to NetGalley and Recorded Books for this ARC! I enjoyed this twisty and fast paced thriller. I liked that it had two different narrators for Molly and Rita because it made it easy to follow both POVs. My only complaint was that the identity of the killer felt out of left field, but I enjoyed the ending and story throughout.