The Dark Corners of the Night (The Unsub Series, #3)

by Meg Gardiner

[Nadz@Totally Addicted to Reading]

I requested this book from Edelweiss based on the recommendation of a fellow blogger. I am happy to report I made the right choice to read it, as the book delivered all I expected and more. The Dark Corners of the Night took me on hair-raising, spine-tingling and nerve-wracking ride.

This is the third book in the UNSUB series and it works well as a stand-alone. This is my first time venturing into this world created by Meg Gardiner, and it was an experience that I hope to repeat whenever the opportunity arises. The Dark Corners of the Night is the type of story that will pull you in and grip you, making it difficult to put down. An engaging read from start to finish. A note of warning a book like this is not for the faint of heart.

I have read several psychological thrillers, which featured some scary villains, but I have encountered none like the Midnight Man. He took scary to another level. His modus operandi involved him entering homes in the middle of the night, where he targets the father, then the mother, but leaves the children, but not before terrorizing them and leaving chilling messages in his wake. The community is on edge as no one knows who will be the Midnight Man’s next victim. His reasoning for choosing his victims were unclear at first, however as the profilers dug deep into his psyche the reason for his actions became clear. The more information I got about him, the scarier he became.

It was great meeting the members of the profiling team. I loved how they worked as a team. They were relentless in their pursuit of the villain. I especially enjoyed getting to know Caitlin. She possessed an inner strength and an analytical mind, which aided her in the investigation. I loved how Caitlin’s personal life was incorporated into the story. It provided me with a better understanding of her as a person, flaws and all.

The scenes were dark, gritty and intense. The last quarter of the book was heart pounding, and it had me gritting my teeth in fear for the parties involved, except for the villain.

Conclusion/Recommendation
Gardiner weaved an incredible tale with twists that held me spellbound. The plot was tight and the characters well developed. This is perfect for fans of thrillers and police procedurals.