The Dark Hours is the first novel Amy Jordan has published under that name: she previously pubished a crime trilogy in Ireland under the name Amy Cronin. The Dark Hours focuses on a 60-year-old former Garda detective in Ireland long retired from the force and living in seclusion in a rural town. Her reputation as a cop was based on her involvement in a serial kller cases, and after the death in prison of that killer, a murder that echoes his methods happens in Cork, and her former boss persuades her to come back to assist in the investigation (which she does unwillingly).

The novel alternates between that 0old case and the new one, with the resentments of more senior officers in the past and the resentment of currently serving detectives in the present case, as well as in both cases the race to catch the killer before more murders occur, and also in both cases, threats to the retired detective. The pace is quick and the stakes are hith, keeping the reader involved in a story that is interesting both for its unusual lead character and for the chase itself.

Thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for the arc of this one in exchange for an honest review!

This book follows a woman who is a retired investigator. In 1994, she investigates a serial killer who targeted young women and herself. Now in 2024, young girls are being killed again in the same fashion and she is back investigating this new killer.

I really enjoyed this book! I listened to the audiobook and really enjoyed it. The narrator was great and I would recommend.

I liked how the story jumped from 1994 and 2024. It kept the story interesting and I liked the parallels between the different timelines. The mystery kept me interested and I enjoyed following the two cases.

The characters were interesting and likeable. I liked following the main character and her thoughts.

I would definitely recommend this one!

Guarda Julia Harte was part of a high profile serial killer case in 1994, at great personal loss to herself. 2024–she’s retired and living in a small town in Ireland, hiding from her past. When a copycat killer emerges echoing the 1994 murders, Julia is called back to Cork to consult on the case and stop more murders. She’s reluctant but ultimately faces her demons.

I liked this book and thought that the 1994 case was a lot more interesting than the 2024 case. However, it was pretty obvious who the killer was in 1994. I thought that Julia was intriguing and the book overall went very fast.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for a copy of his book.

I love a mystery set in a place I have never been. It gives me a way to travel to the dark parts of each community no matter where it is. This was a story about how one person can make ripples that have devasting consequences. I may have figure out who but not the why!!

loved this mystery about solving a case and it is happening again. love that it takes place in a small town. good series to start.

This story is told in third person and follows Julia Harte, a retired police investigator in Ireland who is requested when a murder investigation has eerie similarities to murders committed by a now deceased serial killer that she helped apprehend when she was a Garda. The story is told in dual timelines mirroring the current investigation with the events of 1994 in clearly labeled chapter headings. I thought the dual timelines were handled strategically, interweaving the two investigations and giving just enough information to keep me engaged without frustration as details of the past gave a sense of foreboding to the current storyline.

I loved the juxtaposition of the relationships that Julia had with various characters in the past and present, especially with Des. I commiserated with the younger Julia and her frustration at being sidelined as a woman and trying to balance her career and marriage. She also has that run into a situation without thinking bit that often makes me scream in frustration. I enjoyed her more mature perspective in looking back on those events and the experience she lent to the new investigation despite the new generation’s efforts to sideline her again. The more things change…

I primarily listened to the audiobook, which was narrated by Flora Montgomery. This was my first time listening to this narrator. I enjoyed her characters’ voices, and the compelling tone used to describe the various aspects of the mystery and suspenseful moments.

Recommended to readers that enjoy atmospheric mysteries.

Thank you to Netgalley, MIRA Books, Harlequin Trade Publishing, The Hive, and Harlequin Audio for a copy provided for an honest review.

I saw a lot of great reviews for this book so my expectations were really high. I thought it didn't quite deliver on that greatness. I liked the story, but it fell flat in places for me.

The Dark Hours by Amy Jordan is a fantastic debut thriller novel set on two different timelines surrounding the detective who brought down a serial killer. Amy Jordan is able to deliver everything you would want in a dark crime thriller. Kept me on the edge of my seat!

Would I recommend this book? Yes!

<i> Thank you NetGally and Harlequin Trade Publishing for providing me access to this novel for an honest review</i>

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

Julia is a retired police detective who lives in a tiny village in the mistaken belief that this will keep her anonymous, keeps her neighbours at arms' length, and barely sleeps for fear that a criminal she put away will come for her. She has also written a text book which became a bit of a true crime hit and made her and her cases notorious. When the story begins James Cox, the man she fears most, has died, but now someone else seems to be committing crimes which mimic his and has left Julia's text book at the scene. Julia is persuaded to help look into this.

I didn't enjoy this much. Julia was deeply unlikeable. I wouldn't have wanted to work with her at any stage in her career, particularly as she has no regard for her own or any one else's safety, and always knows best (particularly knowing more than any man). She gets very cross over and over again because no one seems to want to use her first name, although to be fair, being very cross is her normal resting state. Her marriage was a disaster, and so I didn't find the very ending of the book quite as romantic as I think the author intended.

The story is (of course) told in dual timelines, so there are a lot of police officers and victims to keep straight. There were no real clues seeded in advance and the motive of the copycat killer was simply described (at length) at the very end.

Disappointing.

An Irish mystery that doesn't disapppoint. Julia is retired from the police and seeks an anonymous refuge away from the killer that she put away, presently incarcerated in a facility for the criminally insane. His death brings up many past issues and she is pulled back as a consultant for murders that have the same MO.

This was a pretty good book. I hope it becomes a series. I love the fact that it takes place in Ireland and that it invokes a detective. I love those types of books. Go read it!

Amy Jordan’s debut thriller, "The Dark Hours," is a gripping, atmospheric crime novel that masterfully explores trauma and justice. Retired detective Julia Harte, haunted by her past, is drawn back into a chilling case when a copycat killer mimics the crimes of the murderer she helped catch decades ago. Jordan weaves a compelling dual-timeline narrative, balancing procedural detail with psychological depth. Though some secondary characters feel underdeveloped and the resolution slightly rushed, the novel’s rich setting, suspenseful pacing, and complex protagonist make it a standout debut. A must-read for fans of gritty, character-driven crime fiction.

Folks who read my reviews know who infrequently I award five stars for a mystery. So make a note because this is definitely a five star read!
The Dark Hours is an atmospheric debut mystery about a retired police detective brought back to help with a copycat serial killer. Thirty years earlier, Julia Harte was a young Gardia who helped in the search for a serial killer. It led to a successful career including the publication of a bestseller. Now, she’s retired and in hiding on a small Irish island.
The book is told along two timelines - then and now. In the earlier storyline, we see Julia’s fight to be a part of the investigation that killed her partner along with two young women. In the present day, her participation is not uniformly desired but she knows she can help. Dual timelines often suffer from one being duller than the other. But not here. I was drawn to both stories. Jordan does a good job of seamlessly switching between the two.
Julia was a fascinating main character. I’m partial to older MCs and Julia is a well developed one. As the blurb says, she’s no longer naive. But it’s more than that, she’s become a safety obsessed recluse. A sense of suspense comes from what brought about this change in her. But she’s also no one’s patsy and has always been one to stand up to get what she wants.
This isn’t a fast paced thriller. It’s a character rich, in depth study of two police investigations. Jordan does a good job of tying everything up without straying into the realm of the unbelievable which is so often the downfall of many a mystery.
I hate comparisons because they’re so often unrealistic. But comparisons to Tana French are valid.
My thanks to Netgalley and Harlequin for an advance copy of this book.

The Dark Hours by Amy Jordan is a tense, atmospheric thriller that weaves together a gripping tale of revenge, guilt, and the haunting shadows of the past. The story follows Julia Harte, a former officer who helped bring down a notorious serial killer thirty years ago. Now living in quiet seclusion in the coastal village of Cuan Beag, Julia has built a new life under a false name, hoping to escape the memories that continue to plague her. But when a copycat killer emerges, Julia is drawn back into the darkness she thought she left behind.

The novel is a masterclass in suspense, with Jordan expertly creating a chilling atmosphere that mirrors Julia's internal struggles. As the tension builds and the body count rises, Julia must confront the ghosts of her past while trying to outsmart a killer who is eerily familiar. With rich, evocative descriptions of Ireland's remote landscape and an unflinching exploration of the psychological toll of past trauma, The Dark Hours keeps readers on the edge of their seat.

Julia is a complex, deeply flawed protagonist, making her determination to stop the killer both compelling and relatable. The stakes are high, and Jordan does a fantastic job of maintaining the suspense right up until the final pages. For fans of dark, character-driven thrillers, The Dark Hours delivers a deeply satisfying and unpredictable ride.

This gripping crime novel follows detective Julia as she works two cases—one in the present and one from 1994. Set against an atmospheric Irish setting, it feels authentic but not overly gritty or dry.

For a debut, this is seriously impressive! The flashbacks to 1994 are gripping, though they come with a dose of period-accurate sexism. Both timelines were equally engaging, and the way past and present connected kept me hooked.

I loved how Julia’s character evolved between the two cases, pushing it in a character-driven direction, rather than a typical police procedural.

My only frustration? The reveal. The format and mystery were so strong but I wanted a fair shot at guessing the culprit, but I don’t think it was possible here. Still, the journey more than made up for it! If you love layered crime fiction with strong character development, this one is worth picking up.

Thanks to Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for access to this audiobook ARC in exchange for my honest review

Her penance has been to live in fear

Thirty years ago Julia Harte was a Garda working in Cork. She had ambitions, wanting to become a detective although she had thus far remained very much on the lower rungs of the career ladder, in large part due to the ingrained sexism she encountered from within the hierarchy. As the force at large mobilized to find two missing young women, she and her partner are tasked with responding to a neighborhood over a complaint of noisy neighbors. What seemed like a nuisance call turned out to be a turning point in her career and in her life as a whole. It would be her first, but not last, encounter with a psychopath who first marked and then killed his victims, and more would die before he would be brought to justice. Julia rose through the ranks to Detective Inspector and even published a book that became a surprise bestseller, but she is still haunted by that case. She has retired to Cuan Beag, a small and secluded village on the eastern coast of Ireland, looking to escape her old life and the unwelcome notoriety she had endured. She hears on the news that James Cox, the killer from that first major case, has just died, and is greatly relieved...but only for a short time. Soon after she receives a phone call from Des Riordan, her chief superintendent back in the day, asking that she return to Cork at once. Two young women have been found dead, killed in exactly the manner which Cox had used all those years ago. Someone is apparently recreating the earlier crimes, using details not made public, and the current Garda have few clues with which to work. If she returns to the city and delves back into the case during which her life fell apart and nearly ended, can Julia prevent more innocent people from dying and maybe even make amends to those whom she had failed to save so many years ago?
The Dark Hours introduces the reader to an intriguing female protagonist in Julia Harte. She worked in a male-dominated career at a time when women were regularly overlooked for promotion and in general deemed not sufficiently tough to handle the rigors of the job. She felt the
pressure on the home front as well, with her husband Philip husband eager to start a family and pushing for Julia to let go of her ambitions in a job that took so much of her time and exposed her to (in his mind) unnecessary dangers. The determination that Philip had so admired in her early in their relationship he now considers unwelcome stubbornness. With a full complement of well-developed characters author Amy Jordan does a great job of portraying the life of a woman in law enforcement, the dangers and dark side of humanity which she encounters every day and the toll that it inevitably takes on her over the course of years. The premise of the story is also excellent, although suspicions I had early on about a couple of characters proved valid, and a plot twist or two amongst the many felt a bit contrived. The relationship between Julia and Des, how it began and how it evolved, is a strong one and which adds to the story. The one character who annoyed me was Philip, but otherwise I found the storyline intriguing and the novel a satisfying read. Fans of authors like Jenny O'Brien, Claire Mackintosh and John Connelly should give this mystery a try. My thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing/MIRA for allowing me access to The Dark Hours in exchange for my honest review.

The Dark Hours by Amy Jordan is a gripping thriller.
This one will definitely keep you reading well into the night.
A story that had me on the edge of my seat. I love a tale that has me guessing.
This book was fantastic! It was engaging and it draws you in, you just want to settle in and rip through the pages.

This is a thriller/procedural about an Irish detective that must confront a case from her past to solve a current crime. I liked the way the book flashed between past and present; however, the characters and the story itself didn’t quite grab and hold my attention. Thank you to NetGalley for a chance to read and review this book.

Thank you Netgalley for this stunning ARC by a new author. I devoured this book, both in print and audio format. The narrator was fantastic and when I couldn't listen, I was reading and finished it in two days. I found both time periods to be very intriguing and both kept my interest, which is not always the case. This one will definitely keep you reading or listening well into the night. I will remember Julia Harte and the rest of her team for a while and I will be ordering several copies for our library! Great job to Amy Jordan for her debut title.

It’s the last Wednesday of January, so it’s that time again. Book review time! This month, I went for more of a mystery thriller type book. I was looking for something engaging and quick paced like thrillers should be. The Dark Hours by Amy Jordan was released yesterday (the 28th) from MIRA Books. As usual, I must thank them and NetGalley for giving me access to an ARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. Let’s do the thing!

The Dark Hours follows Garda (Irish policeperson) Julia Harte as both a young woman and as a retired Detective Inspector. It’s a braided narrative where two storylines play out by alternating back and forth. In 1994, Julia’s partner has been murdered by someone who has just killed two young women and has set his sights on Julia for some reason. In 2024, after Julia has retired to a small town, it’s announced that the original perpetrator is dead, but why have two young women just been found murdered in similar circumstances to the 1994 murders? Can Julia figure out what’s going on and why she seems to be in the middle of both these cases?

I didn’t realize this was a braided narrative with present and past storylines or else I wouldn’t have requested it. I’m always bored with at least one of them in crime fiction. This was no exception. The present storyline gives things away about the past and vice versa, but not in a good way. In the past, the main character can be in mortal danger, but there’s absolutely no tension because you already know she survives. It just ruins a lot for me. But aside from that, both plotlines were fairly standard. Retired detective gets on the nerves of the current detective who doesn’t think he needs assistance. Random past cases somehow merge into one convoluted Frankencase. No real twists if you have any experience with mystery thrillers. It was standard and that’s okay. Not bad, but not great.

The main problem I had with this book was that none of the characters were particularly likeable. Young Julia was an idiot with zero sense of self-preservation. Old Julia was stuck pining over someone who wasn’t worth her time. I know I was supposed to feel bad about what happened to her husband, but he was a douchebag. She insists he was wonderful, but every time we see him, his whole vibe boils down to “I knew you wanted to be a cop and focus on your career, so I supported you until we got married, at which point you were supposed to quit and start popping out kids, and since you didn’t do what I wanted, you’re a bitch.” Like, dude… get over yourself. Everyone else were cardboard cutouts. There was no one to really root for or get attached to.

I also had issues with the way the story unfolded. I knew who the murderers were as soon as they were introduced, which isn’t a problem, but their motives just felt random and weak. I think this was because all of the aha moments were pretty random as well. In good crime fiction, you can usually trace a thread of connected events that is subtly woven in with red herrings and character development and all the other stuff that makes a book a book. But once in a while, a book will throw random major plot points at you without the thread. There’s nothing you can look back at and say “oh, that makes sense now.” It’s disconcerting and dissatisfying. This book does the latter and hopes the reader will be satisfied with the explanation that “it’s got to do with one of hundreds of past cases that aren’t connected and weren’t mentioned earlier.” I, for one, wasn’t happy with that.

The writing style was fine. I was hoping for a more exciting story, but it was a pretty quick read, so I can’t really complain about the writing.

Ultimately, The Dark Hours was not for me. It had potential, but the execution was mediocre across the board. If another book by Amy Jordan fell in my lap, I’d give it a shot, but it’s nothing I’m going to look for.

Overall, I gave it 2 out of 5 stars. A lot of the reviews love it, so maybe I’m being too harsh. I wouldn’t recommend it to a fellow writer since a lot of my complaints come from that angle, but if you’re super into mysteries, check it out and tell me if I’m wrong.