bookperson
Written on Sep 16, 2020
When experienced homicide detective Casey Duncan first moved to the secret town of Rockton, she expected a safe haven for people like her, people running from their past misdeeds and past lives. She knew living in Rockton meant living off-the-grid completely: no cell phones, no Internet, no mail, very little electricity, and no way of getting in or out without the town council's approval. What she didn't expect is that Rockton comes with its own set of secrets and dangers.
Now, in A Darkness Absolute, Casey and her fellow Rockton sheriff's deputy Will chase a cabin-fevered resident into the woods, where they are stranded in a blizzard. Taking shelter in a cave, they discover a former resident who's been held captive for over a year. When the bodies of two other women turn up, Casey and her colleagues must find out if it's an outsider behind the killings or if the answer is more complicated than that...before another victim goes missing.
- ISBN10 0751567892
- ISBN13 9780751567892
- Publish Date 7 February 2017
- Publish Status Withdrawn
- Out of Print 29 March 2021
- Publish Country GB
- Publisher Little, Brown Book Group
- Imprint Sphere
- Format Hardcover
- Pages 464
- Language English
Reviews
Melanie
Written on Oct 26, 2017
After finishing City of the Lost, I was very excited to get back into the world of Rockton. This book takes place not long after the end of the first book. Casey and Will Anders, the other deputy in the small, secretive town, are out looking for a man who fled. Her boss and lover, Sheriff Eric Dalton is out of town on a supply run, so Casey and Will go out looking for them. That is until a blizzard hits. Then they must find shelter.
While hiding out in a cave, they start to hear another person. While searching, they find a woman in a hole. It is a small hole, so small that she can’t lay flat out. This girl, Nicole Chavez, had been missing for over a year. They had found a body wearing her clothes, so she was presumed dead.
So now, Casey, Will and Eric must find out who put her in that hole. They also have to find the missing man. So they decide to enlist the help of the town butcher, who in his real life was psychiatrist who studied psychopaths, sociopaths and people with antisocial personality disorder. While he has a medical degree and a psychology degree, he pretty much refuses to use either, if he can help it. He is willing to talk with Casey about a few things, but refuses to do treatment. Since the brothel owner is a former psychologist, he feels that she should be the one to treat this girl.
I won’t go into much detail, because this whole book is full of spoilery type of things. Just know that Kelley Armstrong really pushes boundaries with this story. There are some really tough subjects that are discussed, but she doesn’t go into any real detail. I loved the addition of Mathias, the butcher/psychiatrist. I really hope to see more of him in the third book.
This book keeps you guessing all the way until the end. If you enjoyed book one, then you will love book two. I would recommend reading book one first. There are parts about the town that are learned in book one that will help you to understand this book.
Narration
Thérèse Plummer continues to nail the narration. There is a lot of French in this book (that is how she got in good with Mathias, who is French and Casey learned it in school, as a good Canadian). I felt she did a really good job with the French (though I will admit that I have no idea if she pronounced stuff correctly or not, but sounded good to me).
kimbacaffeinate
Written on Oct 24, 2017
- The world: From the creepy, remote setting to the ominous wilderness that backs up to the uncharted town of Rockton, Canada Armstrong pulls readers into the story. Her vivid writing and colorful, complex characters will have you rooting for some and loathing others. Rockton is a haven for some a nightmare for others. The author does an excellent job of sharing the ins and outs of this weird little town, all while shrouding it in mystery, particularly regards the council who oversees it.
- The story: In the City of the Lost, Casey Duncan faced her own darkness and dealt with a murder mystery involving cannibalism all while adapted to her new home and job. How do you top that? You do if your Kelley Armstrong. In A Darkness Absolute, a citizen has run off into the woods, Eric, Rockton's police chief, is out of town, so it is up to Casey and another to find them. A snowstorm forces them to seek cover and there they discover Nicole Chavez, a citizen of Rockton who has been missing for over a year and assumed dead. Only she is very much alive and has been held in captivity. While investigating Nicole's case, Casey and Eric find the remains of two other Rockton women. It soon becomes apparent they have a serial kidnapper/serial killer on their hands. But is the killer local or one of the others?
- The characters: Our hero and heroine are both flawed, complex and brilliant at solving crimes. Both have interesting pasts and their share of demons. Together they simply work, and their feelings, discussions, and chemistry felt genuine. As a crime-solving team, they each have their strengths and mutual respect produces stellar detective work. Suspects, victims, townsfolks, hostiles, and others ground the story, build suspense and add humor and agitation. A feisty, loud mouth named Jen and a psychologist turned butcher will certainly gain readers attention.
- The Unknown Element: Folks who arrive are vetted by the council, an unknown entity who financially backs Rockton. They have control over who arrives, stays and leaves. While we know people pay for the privilege of staying in Rockton this group's demands, motives and secrets add an unknown factor to these tales.
- The Writing: Every element of this story is delivered to perfection creating an intense read that grabs the reader. Armstrong makes you believe Rockton and these characters exist. Character development and the suspenseful mysteries are amplified by the setting and the author's attention to detail. The world freaks me out but I cannot wait to go back! The tale is part horror, part self-discovery with a dash of romance and all the thrills, chills and mysteries one could hope for in one of the creepiest havens.
justine_manzano
Written on Feb 9, 2017
This book follows the continued story of Casey Duncan, now Casey Butler, a detective on the run from the mob, after she finds herself in Rockton, a city that exists completely off the grid for the express purpose of hiding people like her. The town has put her detective skills to good use, adding her to the small police force including Sheriff Eric Dalton and Deputy Will Anders. The three ban together to solve crimes in a community that sits on the edge of the wilderness.
A Darkness Absolute refers to the perpetrator of Casey's latest assignment, who has kept a woman in a cave for over a year. When Casey discovers her, and then the bodies of two other women, she and her team are thrust into a disturbing mystery with twists and turns that leads to a perfectly chilling conclusion.
Casey and her team are great characters, and the town of Rockton provides a perfect backdrop for ongoing drama between the people who live within the town, and those that are settled deep in the Yukon wilderness. Entangled in the lives of all of the residents of her new home, Casey must navigate friendships and romantic relationships while struggling to find a killer that could literally be anywhere in the depths of the wild. The potential for mystery and conflict is rife in this series, and Armstrong takes full advantage.
The last two lines of the book left me with a shiver. If you're a fan of mysteries and thrillers, you'll love this novel.
Chelsea
Written on Nov 23, 2016
I love the whole concept of Rockton in A Darkness Absolute (and the previous book of course). It's a secret town that's run by everyone in it and (lucky us) we get to see more of how it works in A Darkness Absolute. Everyone has to work to support the community or they get kicked out. Generally, it all goes smoothly. That wouldn't make for a good book though so, in this case, a woman is found half starving in a hole hidden in a cave. She says that someone kidnapped her years ago and that she's been there ever since. It's quite sad actually so this book is about Casey solving the mystery of which town member could it be, similar to how the first went. As I was reading, I assumed the plot was going to go in the typical route. I don't know why I always think this because Kelley's books never go in the direction you think they are. I thought I had this one figure out only to be proven wrong, as per usual.
One of the reasons why I can't get enough of Kelley Armstrong is that I love how she writes her characters. Everything we learn about them is relevant at the time and there's no boring parts you skim over. She writes to the point while still giving you lots of the details you need. In this case, I loved learning about Casey's new relationship. They're still getting to know each other but they understand one another. There's no point where the trust is broken because the main character is insecure or the moment where something is misunderstood because the characters are incapable of communication or any of the usual tropes. These characters have always felt realistic to me, like they could be living in our world right now, and that's why I always get sucked into Kelley's books.
I think A Darkness Absolute was a lot of fun because there's a ton of twists and turns. Just when you think you've got it figured out, something else happens and you're proven wrong. If you liked the first book in this series (City of the Lost) then chances are you'll love this one just as much.
Nothing disappointing about this sequel. It'll keep you on the edge of your seat just as well as the first did.