Where have I been? Obviously, living under a rock. This is the first time I am discovering this author and this series. I am a fan of the dark murder mysteries. As I stated, I am knew to this series. However, I am already a fan of Karen Vail. She is one tough cookie.

There was no surprise as to who Karen was chasing after Roscoe Lee Marcks. Yet, I found Marcks to be a good adversary to Karen. There was a good balance of dialect and storyline to keep the story moving along at a good, steady pace. I kind of did not connect all of the dots. So you could say I was surprised by the twist. A good ending to a good story. ( )

'The Darkness of Evil' puts us right in the midst of tracking a vicious serial killer. We're with the FBI team, working through each detail, learning the killer's unique profile, and trying to anticipate his next move.

I liked Karen Vail's character. She's tough and smart, but also a normal woman with fears and flaws. She pushes herself hard. We feel her dedication to her job, her coworkers, and the people she is sworn to protect.

The author clearly knows his subject matter. This is not the kind of story that grips you with intensity, while you simultaneously know it would never happen. This story could play out just as it's written, and that realism might be the most terrifying aspect.

For me, this book's major strength is tied up in its one weakness. The author is a detail man, which I greatly appreciate. The plot has no holes, no loose threads, no moments that require a leap of faith for the readers. I also enjoyed the focus on profiling and getting inside the mind of a killer. At the same time, the immense amount of detail included sometimes slows the story a little too much. I also thought some of the conversations were unrealistic, with the dialogue obviously meant to educate readers in the art of profiling.

While violence is always an undercurrent in this story - clearly, we're talking about serial killers - that violence is never gratuitous or overly graphic. This is an intricate, well plotted crime novel that will grip you with the very real psychopathy of the killer.

I have not read the previous books in the Karen Vail series, and I had absolutely no problem understanding the characters or their relationships. This book works exceptionally well as a stand-alone.

*I received an advance copy from the publisher, via Amazon Vine, in exchange for my honest review.* ( )