Tuesday, December 26, 2017

Sophia Rose Reviews The Darkest Thread by Jen Blood

I hope everyone had a fantastic Christmas and are ready to get down to the business of mystery, mayhem and murder reviewed by the wonderful Sophia Rose.
Enjoy!
The Darkest Thread by Jen Blood, Narrated by Elise Arsenault
#1 Flint K-9 Search and Rescue
Mystery
Publisher:  Tantor Audio
Published:  10.24.17
ASIN:  B076B3Z19M
Time:  9 hours 31 minutes
Rating: 4
Format:  Audio
Source:  Tantor Audio

ADD TO: GOODREADS


GoodReads Blurb:
When teenage sisters go missing in the mysterious “Bennington Triangle” of Vermont, an area renowned for its disappearances and strange occurrences over the past hundred years, FBI agent Jack Juarez brings K-9 handler Jamie Flint and her dog Phantom in to assist with the search. When Jack realizes the case shares haunting similarities with the murders of the missing girls’ aunts ten years before, it becomes clear that he and Jamie are dealing with much more than two girls who simply wandered off the beaten path.


SOPHIA ROSE'S REVIEW:

Review:
A spooky read that was just right with its references to the disappearances in the Bennington Triangle, chilling ties to an old horrific pair of murders, the dark whispers from the forest, and fresh terror for all those involved.

The Darkest Thread begins a new series, but word of caution, it’s a spin-off for the author's previous Erin Solomon series.  In fact, the heroine and others are tied-in with that series so the connection is mentioned a few times.  This is its own story as far as the mystery, but the reader gets the feeling that the character side is part of an ongoing story.

This author, Jen Blood, knows how to put you right in the story and feel the atmosphere of her story.  It was a murder mystery that delivered the thrills and tingles without getting too far over the line into horror or thriller. 

I enjoyed that a search and rescue animal handler is the primary detective in this story and she has her own vulnerabilities and troubles from the past.  Jamie is a tough gal and she likes going her own way, but she is working with a whole host of others to find the missing girls in time.  Jamie is surrounded by a strong cast of characters including Jack Juarez and let's not forget the dogs who stole the show a few times.  I was iffy on Jamie a few times because she sometimes was pretty narrow with her focus and her feelings (though who could blame her a few times when things happened particularly with Bear), but overall, I enjoyed her as a lead character.

Jamie's son Bear also gets to narrate and we get the story from his younger point of view and see how his psychic gift weighs heavily on him.  I liked the juxtaposition of mother and teenage son which was different.  They have the usual tension of family dynamics, but also that of the darker gifts they share that can be more like a curse in their line of work.

There are some romantic inclinations, but this is at the forefront a paranormal mystery.
The case is a good one with twists that had me pointing the finger falsely a few times.

The narrator, Elise Arsenault, was great.  I hadn't listened to her narration work before, but I thought she was a good match for the story and the characters.  She had a lot of characters to do and had to get the tone of the story right which she really did.

All in all, this first outing with author and narrator was a success and I want more of these dark, twisting murder mysteries.  If you like a few thrills and chills without it getting too scary, this mystery series is probably a good match for you.

My thanks to Tantor Audio for the opportunity to listen to this book in exchange for an honest review.


Author’s Bio:
Jen Blood is a professional editor and publishing consultant, and author of the bestselling Erin Solomon Mysteries. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing/Popular Fiction, with writing influences ranging from Emily Bronte to Dennis Lehane, and any number of genres and authors in between. Her work has earned accolades and awards including the AIA Seal of Quality and the B.R.A.G. Medallion for ALL THE BLUE-EYED ANGELS, and honorable mention for Best in Fiction from the New England Book Festival for her second novel, SINS OF THE FATHER. All four of her novels have reached the Amazon Bestseller list in Mystery, Suspense, and Women Sleuths.
Born and raised among the smaller fishing villages of midcoast Maine, Jen's writing is rich with the details and tone of that isolated, occasionally harsh landscape. Today, after spending several years traveling the country, Jen is once again living in midcoast Maine, busily working on the next installment in the Erin Solomon series.

Sophia’s Bio:
Sophia is a quiet though curious gal who dabbles in cooking, book reviewing, and gardening. Encouraged and supported by an incredible man and loving family. A Northern Californian transplant to the Great Lakes Region of the US. Lover of Jane Austen, Baseball, Cats, Scooby Doo, and Chocolate.
Sophia’s Social Media Links:



11 comments:

  1. I always point at the wrong guy, lol

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  2. I love when you can't figure out who done it. This sounds like a really great book. I'm wondering if I should start with the original series before trying this one.

    Melanie @ Hot Listens & Rabid Reads

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    1. I did alright with this one and it was fine plot wise, but I confess to great curiosity about the mentions to the earlier Erin Solomon series. I think the first book in that one might be a Kindle freebie.

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  3. I do love when a mystery can puzzle you and this sounds like it was a good one. Glad it kept you on your toes!

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    1. Yes! I agree that the best ones are the ones that I can't puzzle out.

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  4. oO I'd not herd of the narrator. I'll look out for her in 2018 :D

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    1. Or heard, even. LOL Darn not having an edit button.

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    2. for you my dear it was an understandable typo ;-)

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    3. LOL, 'herd'. Debbie's right. It's a slip not a typo. haha!

      Oh, but yes, this was a neat one. Just enough chills without putting me completely into freakout land.

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