Deep into the Dark

Grab a double espresso before delving into P.J. Tracy’s, 'Deep Into the Dark', to be published January 12, 2021. This is book one of a new series set in Los Angeles and features Detective Margaret Nolan and a murder suspect, Sam Easton. Your central nervous system will definitely not need stimulating while enjoying this fast-paced adventure into the darker side of Hollywood; the espresso prior to reading is so you don’t miss one tidbit of this masterpiece. It’s a meat and potatoes kind of read. There’s no kale nor chickpeas in sight.

In Spanish, Los Angeles means ‘the angels’, but Detective Nolan will tell you, there are very few angels here. The opposite, in fact. There’s a monster loose on Miracle Mile leaving a spate of killings in his wake. Sam Easton has just completed 2 tours in Afghanistan and, in addition to facial scarring, is suffering from PTSD due to a traumatic brain injury. Blackouts and memory loss are just two of the myriad of symptoms Sam experiences. When his motive, opportunity and means intersect with the murders, Sam becomes a suspect. What really happened during those backouts? Could he be responsible for the slew of deaths on Miracle Mile? Sam and his boss, Melody Traeger, both work in the bar at the Pearl Club. Melody is a former junkie looking for a happy ending. She’s cleaned herself up, is holding a steady job and has a steady boyfriend. Trying to hide from their past, they become supportive friends as they both face their future alone. Unfortunately, they become entangled in the Miracle Mile murder cases and need to go to desperate measures to prove that they are innocent.

Tracy explores Sam’s strength and courage as he manages being a suspect in the face of a devastating series of events in his personal life. You’ll read about love, obsession, grief and revenge in this exciting storyline with short, well-paced chapters. Central to the theme is the idea that one shouldn't wait for an opportunity to come, instead, one should make an opportunity happen. It’s obvious Tracy has done her research on PTSD as she is able to expertly articulate both the patient and therapist perspective. Furthermore, she has described the military experience as if she had firsthand knowledge.

This is a new author for me and I appreciated that she didn’t dumb down the prose. I found myself looking up words and double-checking to see if the PTSD manual reflected in the title actually existed. With such a dark topic, it was nice to see the author sprinkle some humour within her storyline. I giggled at the reference to hotdogs, Crawford’s beard and the ability of the LAPD described as “a bunch of diddling troglodytes who can’t put their pants on in the morning.” In addition to the humour, I noticed that Tracy ties up all her subplots and doesn't present red-herrings without intending to exploit them. I’m happy to hear that Tracy was convinced to make this a series instead of a stand-alone book because I’m looking forward to (hopefully) read about Sam and Melody in future sequels.

As a longtime fan of PJ Tracy's Monkeywrench series, I was eager to read their latest, a new series set in L.A. Like the Monkeywrench series, Deep into the Dark follows a pair of homicide detectives as well as the "damaged" individuals who are suspects in a series of murders. Bartender Melody Traeger is a recovered addict and abuse victim, barback Sam Easton is a vet suffering PTSD from his service in Afghanistan. When people close to them are killed, Melody and Sam are the top suspects on LAPD Detectives Nolan and Crawford's list, but the perspective the reader is given makes it hard to believe, so who did do it? Like the Monkeywrench series, the characters are well-written and draw you into the story, and the plot is fast-paced and keeps your interest.

Another well done thriller with an intricate plot and unusual characters. The author’s depiction of ptsd and of a woman who believeS herself to be a victimized without courage.
The strength of character and mental strength needed by them to make it through and conquer the hunt for a serial killer and an obsessed stalker is slowly revealed to themselves.
Wild ride from frightening to tense to sweet to ‘oh my God’ Worth your time
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for this arc

A complicated thriller that will keep you guessing and reading! Engrossing, and not-so-perfect, characters that will keep you turning pages obsessively until you reach the [tainted but satisfying] conclusion. Nothing is as it seems, but everything ties in - none of the "surprise out of nowhere that make no sense at all" that some authors throw in for their "twist at the end" - here we actually have real characters, and plot twists that don't defy logic, but keep you guessing and engaged. I liked that the hero wasn't perfect, so tired of perfect people with bizarre names that so many authors throw in. A definite must read if you like a good crime thriller. I will look for more from this author in the future.