Every once in awhile, a book really leaps out at you, grabs you, and takes you on a crazy terrific ride. You know what I mean? There are the books that are fun outings, where you progress leisurely and finish with a happy sigh. Then there are the books that say “screw that” and careen through the action, keeping you off balance, where you’re practically gasping for breath and thinking, “what the hell did I just experience?”. This is solidly in the latter category. A page-turner by any definition, “One Dark Night” explores how a reaction to a simple, every-day occurrence can have far-reaching and (very) unintended consequences. Trust me, you’ll re-think being angry at the next person who cuts you off on the highway! A smart author also knows that it is difficult to credibly sustain a particular action for an entire book. Tom Bale recognizes this, and changes up the story to give the reader little breaks and shifts in focus. This works wonderfully to keep the tension level high, but not with pointless filler. If you’re looking for an action movie in book form, look no further. This one is for you!
Here is my Goodreads review:
Sit down, buckle up, and get ready for one heck of an adrenaline rush! This book starts off fast and never really lets up. From the opening event to the wrap-up, I was enthralled and couldn’t read fast enough. What made this book unique was that the author zigged when I thought he was going to zag, and every time I thought I had a bead on what was happening, the author switched gears. No matter what the setting, the descriptions were so vivid that the atmospheres felt very real. The action is at times thriller, crime, suspense, mystery…but it is fluid and morphs naturally from one to the other. This was the first book I’ve read by this author, and I will certainly be looking for his other ones! An excellent entry in the Mystery/Thriller genre. Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture, and the author for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.