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Casey Holland Mystery #1
The Opposite of Dark
When the police tell transit security cop Casey Holland that her father was murdered the previous night, Casey doesn’t believe them. Why would she, given that she buried her dad three years earlier? Desperate to understand what’s going on and if the man she buried really was Marcus Holland, Casey attempts to unravel the truth about her past.
Filled with twists and turns and the unwelcome help of a persistent stranger, Casey’s quest takes her to Europe where startling revelations place her in danger. An associate of her father believes that Marcus stole three million dollars from him and he wants it back. Convinced that Casey can find the money, the man won’t stop until he either has the cash or she and those she loves die.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2011
569 people are currently reading
471 people want to read
About the author
Debra Purdy Kong
12 books115 followersI've been writing and publishing mystery novels, short stories, personal essays, and articles for over 30 years.
Both books in my Alex Bellamy series, TAXED TO DEATH (now out of print) and FATAL ENCRYPTION center around white-collar crime and take place in Vancouver, British Columbia.
My newer series features transit security cop, Casey Holland. THE OPPOSITE OF DARK was originally released in 2011, followed by DEADLY ACCUSATIONS, BENEATH THE BLEAK NEW MOON, THE DEEP END, KNOCK KNOCK, and most recently THE BLADE MAN.
I've also published two humorous novellas, DEAD MAN FLOATING and A TOXIC CRAFT featuring campus security guard Evan Dunstan. They're currently out of print as well, but I hope to re-release them in the near future.
I've worked in retail and at a variety of clerical jobs over the years. I was also a security and communications officer for a security company, which served as useful research material for the Casey Holland series. I'm now retired from day jobs and a new grandma.
Both books in my Alex Bellamy series, TAXED TO DEATH (now out of print) and FATAL ENCRYPTION center around white-collar crime and take place in Vancouver, British Columbia.
My newer series features transit security cop, Casey Holland. THE OPPOSITE OF DARK was originally released in 2011, followed by DEADLY ACCUSATIONS, BENEATH THE BLEAK NEW MOON, THE DEEP END, KNOCK KNOCK, and most recently THE BLADE MAN.
I've also published two humorous novellas, DEAD MAN FLOATING and A TOXIC CRAFT featuring campus security guard Evan Dunstan. They're currently out of print as well, but I hope to re-release them in the near future.
I've worked in retail and at a variety of clerical jobs over the years. I was also a security and communications officer for a security company, which served as useful research material for the Casey Holland series. I'm now retired from day jobs and a new grandma.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
January 5, 2020
The premise sounded good and I liked the local flavour but I had to slog to finish. The characters were more stereotypes than actual characters. At a couple points I was expecting to see some mustache twirling from the interchangeable bad guys. I also found some of the plot far too coincidental. Especially how all the characters could move around anywhere they wanted with complete freedom. Not planning to read more in the series.
January 16, 2020
Complex fabrication
Much of this book was intriguing. It’s downfall was author’s attempt at complex drama being completely unbelievable. The whirlwind plot fabrication at the end was disappointing.
Much of this book was intriguing. It’s downfall was author’s attempt at complex drama being completely unbelievable. The whirlwind plot fabrication at the end was disappointing.
January 19, 2020
Concept sounded promising, but completely failed to deliver - poor plot, characters and dialogue - on the whole very disappointing.
March 6, 2011
"The Opposite of Dark" is the first in Purdy Kong's Casey Holland mystery series published by Touchwood Editions. And I am SO glad because I'm going to have more excellent reads to anticipate.
This book is a page-turner that will keep you up late. It tells the story of a transit security officer, Casey, who is confronted by news that her long-dead father has died -- again. If I say more, I will reveal a tense and exciting plot that you must experience for yourself. Purdy Kong creates rounded, believable characters and sets the majority of the book in metro Vancouver, with some scenes in European capitals. Her pacing is thrilling and the story complex enough to satisfy but not defeat you. She holds you in suspense till the end. The slim clues Purdy Kong dropped in the meat of the book only became apparent to me as the story unfolded at the end. I was never quite sure "who dun it." Just what I love in a good mystery novel.
Purdy Kong's writing is compelling, realistic, and tight. Can't wait for number two!
Highly recommended if you love contemporary mysteries.
This book is a page-turner that will keep you up late. It tells the story of a transit security officer, Casey, who is confronted by news that her long-dead father has died -- again. If I say more, I will reveal a tense and exciting plot that you must experience for yourself. Purdy Kong creates rounded, believable characters and sets the majority of the book in metro Vancouver, with some scenes in European capitals. Her pacing is thrilling and the story complex enough to satisfy but not defeat you. She holds you in suspense till the end. The slim clues Purdy Kong dropped in the meat of the book only became apparent to me as the story unfolded at the end. I was never quite sure "who dun it." Just what I love in a good mystery novel.
Purdy Kong's writing is compelling, realistic, and tight. Can't wait for number two!
Highly recommended if you love contemporary mysteries.
February 23, 2020
Stopped reading. Interesting premise. The idea that the heroine is told that her father was murdered the previous day. But she had buried him 3 years earlier.
But the disorganization of the plot and the explosion of characters made this hard to read.
But the disorganization of the plot and the explosion of characters made this hard to read.
February 25, 2020
Too many liars!
There were so many liars in this book, it made it very confusing. I didn't like any of the characters and was left saying "what just happened"? So many unanswered questions were left at the end.
There were so many liars in this book, it made it very confusing. I didn't like any of the characters and was left saying "what just happened"? So many unanswered questions were left at the end.
February 10, 2011
The Opposite of Dark
Debra Purdy Kong’s new series starts off with a bang. Trying to recover from her broken marriage by applying herself to her career, transit security cop Casey Holland thinks nothing of chasing down a groper or purse snatcher while dressed as a decoy in stilettos and mini-skirt. But as she files her report at HQ, the cops come knocking at the door. She thought she had buried her globe-trotting architect father Marcus three years ago when he died of botulism in Europe. The casket had been open at the funeral back in Canada, so how could there have been a mistake? Imagine her surprise when police tell her that his body has been found bludgeoned in a house which he designed in pricey West Vancouver. Not only does the victim have a tell-tale facial scar, but an identical appendix-removal mark.
Who’s the imposter, body one or two? Why would her beloved father have been living near her all this time, pretending he was dead? Or why would someone go to so much trouble to assume his identity?
Casey’s mother Lillian bailed on the family seventeen years ago, leaving Casey with her attentive and caring father. Now Casey lives with Rhonda, her father’s former fiancée, and Rhonda’s daughter. The three females are close and supportive. Casey’s “friend” Lou is on hand. Could their platonic relationship be blossoming into something serious?
To Casey, it makes no sense that her father faked his own death, abandoning those who loved him. She starts investigating close to home, visiting his eccentric former partner, who claims that he is mystified as anyone. But he hints of a secret life in Europe. What about that mysterious export business?
With her father’s expertise at design, could something be hidden in that showcase home? Using her trusty lock picks, Casey leaves no doors unopened at the deserted mansion. She’s taking courses in Criminal Justice and should know better, but if the dead man was her father, she has the right to enter his house. Her picture’s on his night stand, a real puzzler if the dead man was an imposter. Suddenly she finds herself grabbed from behind and barely escapes, fleeing outside without seeing her attacker. Does this relate to the strange black Saab following her recently? Someone doesn’t want her to get closer to the truth.
Frustrated at home, Casey finds herself en route to Amsterdam to talk to a younger woman who claims that her father is still alive. In fact, she’s pregnant by him. Meanwhile, an attractive continental partner of her father’s, or so Theo Zeigler claims to be, appears to give Casey a helping hand with an uncooperative suspect. He turns up at opportune times, but why did he stalk her for so long before introducing himself? Is he a guardian angel or a devil in disguise? More worrisome is the rumour that a missing three million dollars may have been a motive for murder.
Though nearly everyone at the Paris restaurant where Casey’s father was poisoned is long gone, what she learns convinces her that the botulism case was deliberate. That missing three million takes on new meaning.
Casey is shocked to find that another person connected to the case is dead under mysterious circumstances. Could an eminence grise be pulling strings from above? More than one person has suggested Casey’s enterprising but ruthless mother. Only Rhonda, long-time friend of the family, sticks up for Lillian, who is more to be pitied than censured. Even Rhonda’s husband was seduced by the femme fatale, a master manipulator. Casey suspects Rhonda of being a soft touch.
Kong keeps the action fast and furious. Her jaunts around Europe provide a thrilling backdrop full of convincing detail and a foil to the modern and bustling city of Vancouver. At work, Casey’s locker is ransacked, and abroad, her hotel room shows signs of a search. Whoever is behind the scenes knows no international boundaries. The modest but resourceful Casey is a perfect heroine for our times, a combination of thought and action. As she pursues relentlessly the answer to her father’s second death, she is undeterred by the warnings of the police. Meanwhile her erstwhile boyfriend tries to win her heart as the stakes increase. And until the turn of the final page, Casey is running for her life.
.
Debra Purdy Kong’s new series starts off with a bang. Trying to recover from her broken marriage by applying herself to her career, transit security cop Casey Holland thinks nothing of chasing down a groper or purse snatcher while dressed as a decoy in stilettos and mini-skirt. But as she files her report at HQ, the cops come knocking at the door. She thought she had buried her globe-trotting architect father Marcus three years ago when he died of botulism in Europe. The casket had been open at the funeral back in Canada, so how could there have been a mistake? Imagine her surprise when police tell her that his body has been found bludgeoned in a house which he designed in pricey West Vancouver. Not only does the victim have a tell-tale facial scar, but an identical appendix-removal mark.
Who’s the imposter, body one or two? Why would her beloved father have been living near her all this time, pretending he was dead? Or why would someone go to so much trouble to assume his identity?
Casey’s mother Lillian bailed on the family seventeen years ago, leaving Casey with her attentive and caring father. Now Casey lives with Rhonda, her father’s former fiancée, and Rhonda’s daughter. The three females are close and supportive. Casey’s “friend” Lou is on hand. Could their platonic relationship be blossoming into something serious?
To Casey, it makes no sense that her father faked his own death, abandoning those who loved him. She starts investigating close to home, visiting his eccentric former partner, who claims that he is mystified as anyone. But he hints of a secret life in Europe. What about that mysterious export business?
With her father’s expertise at design, could something be hidden in that showcase home? Using her trusty lock picks, Casey leaves no doors unopened at the deserted mansion. She’s taking courses in Criminal Justice and should know better, but if the dead man was her father, she has the right to enter his house. Her picture’s on his night stand, a real puzzler if the dead man was an imposter. Suddenly she finds herself grabbed from behind and barely escapes, fleeing outside without seeing her attacker. Does this relate to the strange black Saab following her recently? Someone doesn’t want her to get closer to the truth.
Frustrated at home, Casey finds herself en route to Amsterdam to talk to a younger woman who claims that her father is still alive. In fact, she’s pregnant by him. Meanwhile, an attractive continental partner of her father’s, or so Theo Zeigler claims to be, appears to give Casey a helping hand with an uncooperative suspect. He turns up at opportune times, but why did he stalk her for so long before introducing himself? Is he a guardian angel or a devil in disguise? More worrisome is the rumour that a missing three million dollars may have been a motive for murder.
Though nearly everyone at the Paris restaurant where Casey’s father was poisoned is long gone, what she learns convinces her that the botulism case was deliberate. That missing three million takes on new meaning.
Casey is shocked to find that another person connected to the case is dead under mysterious circumstances. Could an eminence grise be pulling strings from above? More than one person has suggested Casey’s enterprising but ruthless mother. Only Rhonda, long-time friend of the family, sticks up for Lillian, who is more to be pitied than censured. Even Rhonda’s husband was seduced by the femme fatale, a master manipulator. Casey suspects Rhonda of being a soft touch.
Kong keeps the action fast and furious. Her jaunts around Europe provide a thrilling backdrop full of convincing detail and a foil to the modern and bustling city of Vancouver. At work, Casey’s locker is ransacked, and abroad, her hotel room shows signs of a search. Whoever is behind the scenes knows no international boundaries. The modest but resourceful Casey is a perfect heroine for our times, a combination of thought and action. As she pursues relentlessly the answer to her father’s second death, she is undeterred by the warnings of the police. Meanwhile her erstwhile boyfriend tries to win her heart as the stakes increase. And until the turn of the final page, Casey is running for her life.
.
January 10, 2020
Trust no one
A dizzying array of lies and misdirection keeps the reader in the dark as the plot twists and turns. If you like cozies this one should keep you entertained.
A dizzying array of lies and misdirection keeps the reader in the dark as the plot twists and turns. If you like cozies this one should keep you entertained.
October 27, 2011
What is a daughter to do when 3 years after she has buried her father she is presented with another body identified as her father? The first thing to come to mind of course, is that he is already dead and can't be dead again. Or can he? If it wasn't such a horrifying thought, it would be almost comical. There are so many things one doesn't think of in a case such as this. In particular, the funeral home where her father was buried the first time is adamant that he is still in plot 352, so how do they handle this second burial? Who passed for her father to all who viewed the body in the casket, including his daughter Casey, to allow them to believe they were looking at one Marcus Adam Holland Which is the corpse of the real Marcus? If that weren't enough, how could her father possibly have a home in West Vancouver, if he was dead, and why, if he was in hiding, would he choose to be so near and yet not contact his daughter or his fiancé Rhonda? They were just finally getting on with their lives from his first death and now he's died again, or so it would seem. What a great plot, and I don't mean burial plot. Debra Purdy Kong has outdone herself.
The lives of the human race consist of so many secrets, I sometimes feel we could be living in two dimensions and not even know it. Casey works security for the Transit Service in Vancouver, BC, and is no stranger to awareness of her surroundings and netting several suspects for various crimes. She decides if she is ever to sort this dilemma out, she will have to go to Europe, where her Dad "died" the first time, and try to learn what he was doing there. She knows she is being followed most of the time, and that someone is looking for something, but she doesn't know who or what. She only knows she must try to find out the truth. What she does learn is that there are many people looking for that something. What was her father involved in? Was he importing and/or exporting illegal or dangerous goods? She is shocked when she finds out just before leaving home that her estranged mother is somehow involved in whatever her father was doing.
This is truly a fast-moving action-packed thriller with many twist and turns, many suspects, and many secrets and lies. Trust is something that is very slippery, hard to determine and equally hard to hold on to. Trust and misguided trust play a major role in this book. Not only is Casey's life in jeopardy, but her friends are as well, even the police trying to protect her. I would have read this book at one sitting were I able to, I was so involved in the story. I am happy to learn that we will be seeing more of Casey in future books and can hardly wait! Great story with strong plot!
The lives of the human race consist of so many secrets, I sometimes feel we could be living in two dimensions and not even know it. Casey works security for the Transit Service in Vancouver, BC, and is no stranger to awareness of her surroundings and netting several suspects for various crimes. She decides if she is ever to sort this dilemma out, she will have to go to Europe, where her Dad "died" the first time, and try to learn what he was doing there. She knows she is being followed most of the time, and that someone is looking for something, but she doesn't know who or what. She only knows she must try to find out the truth. What she does learn is that there are many people looking for that something. What was her father involved in? Was he importing and/or exporting illegal or dangerous goods? She is shocked when she finds out just before leaving home that her estranged mother is somehow involved in whatever her father was doing.
This is truly a fast-moving action-packed thriller with many twist and turns, many suspects, and many secrets and lies. Trust is something that is very slippery, hard to determine and equally hard to hold on to. Trust and misguided trust play a major role in this book. Not only is Casey's life in jeopardy, but her friends are as well, even the police trying to protect her. I would have read this book at one sitting were I able to, I was so involved in the story. I am happy to learn that we will be seeing more of Casey in future books and can hardly wait! Great story with strong plot!
May 20, 2012
It takes a compelling book to stand up to my current schedule. The Opposite of Dark is such a book.
Right now, the only chance I get to read is when I'm taking my son around to deliver his papers on flyer days. (He can do the other days on his bike.) Despite the interruptions, I not only kept coming back to Debra's story, I found times to steal away from other stuff so I could read some more.
The protagonist, Casey Holland would sympathize with my plight. She has to investigate her father's deaths (yes, there were two of them) while finding a purse snatcher on the buses and looking out for her almost stepmother and stepsister. Casey's day job with transit security is one of many perks of the read. Bounty hunters, private investigators and police detectives abound, but how many books have transit cops? Only one that I know of, and I'll be picking up the next book in the series to read more.
Right now, the only chance I get to read is when I'm taking my son around to deliver his papers on flyer days. (He can do the other days on his bike.) Despite the interruptions, I not only kept coming back to Debra's story, I found times to steal away from other stuff so I could read some more.
The protagonist, Casey Holland would sympathize with my plight. She has to investigate her father's deaths (yes, there were two of them) while finding a purse snatcher on the buses and looking out for her almost stepmother and stepsister. Casey's day job with transit security is one of many perks of the read. Bounty hunters, private investigators and police detectives abound, but how many books have transit cops? Only one that I know of, and I'll be picking up the next book in the series to read more.
July 7, 2012
I won this book through First Reads giveaways.
When I read the summary of this book, I knew I'd love it. Being Canadian, it is awesome to read something based in your country or even some place you know. I loved the character development, never knowing who did what and accusing every somewhat bad or suspicious person for it all. The plot was amazing. Such a great mystery that kept me guessing until the end.
When I read the summary of this book, I knew I'd love it. Being Canadian, it is awesome to read something based in your country or even some place you know. I loved the character development, never knowing who did what and accusing every somewhat bad or suspicious person for it all. The plot was amazing. Such a great mystery that kept me guessing until the end.
January 21, 2020
did not finish
December 6, 2020
Three things I liked about this book: first, it's set in Vancouver BC, a city I've lived in. I enjoyed following the action through places I know, including a side trip to Victoria. Second, the main character's job in transit security is a great way to introduce action and situations that require Casey to exercise grit and problem-solving skills. The opening scenes had me interested. Third, the central premise of the story, in which Casey is notified that her father has been murdered -- except he's been dead for three years. That conundrum definitely made me want to know more.
Unfortunately, my reading experience went from intriguing to confusing. Casey's family situation is complicated in the extreme, and it pretty much takes over the plot, turning the story into a cross between a daytime soap opera and a breakneck-paced thriller. A half dozen or more characters race around, jostling one another in a dizzying array of confrontations. Suspicious characters stalk or even attack Casey, only to engage in lengthy conversations with her, in which they reveal all kinds of surprising details about themselves. Subsequent conversations reveal that much of what is said is lies and half-truths. I had a hard time remembering who said what and when, to the point that I started not to care. Following Casey around the city, and even to Europe, was exhausting rather than thrilling.
I was also disappointed that Casey's job was squeezed into the background after the opening scenes. Perhaps understandably, her priority is to figure out the situation around her father's death, but her job becomes irrelevant to the plot and could have just as easily been left out altogether.
Casey herself is a fairly memorable and sympathetic character, as is her friend and fellow transit worker Lou. Detective Lalonde has potential too, but appears only in brief cameos. Rhonda seems by turns dumb and devious. Casey's Mother Lillian, and the sinister duo of Theo and Darcy, are really types, without much substance. They pop up when needed to do something scary or impart another block of dubious information. That, in fact, is something I found irritating--the story didn't feel like a murder investigation, but more like a series of loosely connected family crises in a variety of venues, intended to produce jolts and surprises.
Altogether, I found this mystery to be disappointing, because the elements that appealed to me didn't realize their potential.
Unfortunately, my reading experience went from intriguing to confusing. Casey's family situation is complicated in the extreme, and it pretty much takes over the plot, turning the story into a cross between a daytime soap opera and a breakneck-paced thriller. A half dozen or more characters race around, jostling one another in a dizzying array of confrontations. Suspicious characters stalk or even attack Casey, only to engage in lengthy conversations with her, in which they reveal all kinds of surprising details about themselves. Subsequent conversations reveal that much of what is said is lies and half-truths. I had a hard time remembering who said what and when, to the point that I started not to care. Following Casey around the city, and even to Europe, was exhausting rather than thrilling.
I was also disappointed that Casey's job was squeezed into the background after the opening scenes. Perhaps understandably, her priority is to figure out the situation around her father's death, but her job becomes irrelevant to the plot and could have just as easily been left out altogether.
Casey herself is a fairly memorable and sympathetic character, as is her friend and fellow transit worker Lou. Detective Lalonde has potential too, but appears only in brief cameos. Rhonda seems by turns dumb and devious. Casey's Mother Lillian, and the sinister duo of Theo and Darcy, are really types, without much substance. They pop up when needed to do something scary or impart another block of dubious information. That, in fact, is something I found irritating--the story didn't feel like a murder investigation, but more like a series of loosely connected family crises in a variety of venues, intended to produce jolts and surprises.
Altogether, I found this mystery to be disappointing, because the elements that appealed to me didn't realize their potential.
August 17, 2021
Vancouver, BC, SW Canada. Casey Holland (divorced, MPT bus security, 2nd in command) boarded the M3 MPT bus.
As Benny Lee (bus driver) approached Commercial/Broadway, the suspect’s thigh nudged Casey.
The chase was on as he got off the bus in a hurry Casey right behind him.
Detective Lalonde (W. Vancouver PD) & Corporal Krueger (55+, W. Vancouver PD) came to interview Casey.
It turned out it was about her father Marcus Adam Holland (55+, Caucasian, importer, architect) who was killed between 8: 00-10: 00 pm yesterday evening.
Supposedly he died of botulism & was buried at the Cedar Ridge Cemetery 3 yrs. ago.
Detective Lalonde & Corporal Krueger (55+, W. Vancouver PD) took Casey to the morgue to ID the body.
Casey went to visit with Simone Archambault (Canadian, antique collector).
Marie Crenshaw (MPT bus security, divorced/mother, kids) had a thing for Lou (bus driver) & thought Casey was a rival.
Casey went to visit with Vincent Wilkes (Canadian, architect, Marcus associate BMF). He had to show her his exotic reptiles.
Casey was piecing the puzzle of her Marcus murder together.
Queen Elizabeth Theater. Simone Archambault met with Casey about Marcus death.
Barb called Casey & told her Lou’s doing much better.
I do not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing free books from publishers & authors. Therefore, I am under no obligation to write a positive review, only an honest one.
An awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very professionally written mystery book. It was quite easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a small description list of unique characters, settings, facts etc. to keep track of. This could also make another great mystery movie, or better yet a mini-TV series. There is no doubt in my mind this is an extremely easy rating of 5 stars.
Thank you for the free author; Gypsy Moon Press; BookFunnel; OddlyBooks; Amazon Digital Services LLC. Kindle Mobi; PDF book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
As Benny Lee (bus driver) approached Commercial/Broadway, the suspect’s thigh nudged Casey.
The chase was on as he got off the bus in a hurry Casey right behind him.
Detective Lalonde (W. Vancouver PD) & Corporal Krueger (55+, W. Vancouver PD) came to interview Casey.
It turned out it was about her father Marcus Adam Holland (55+, Caucasian, importer, architect) who was killed between 8: 00-10: 00 pm yesterday evening.
Supposedly he died of botulism & was buried at the Cedar Ridge Cemetery 3 yrs. ago.
Detective Lalonde & Corporal Krueger (55+, W. Vancouver PD) took Casey to the morgue to ID the body.
Casey went to visit with Simone Archambault (Canadian, antique collector).
Marie Crenshaw (MPT bus security, divorced/mother, kids) had a thing for Lou (bus driver) & thought Casey was a rival.
Casey went to visit with Vincent Wilkes (Canadian, architect, Marcus associate BMF). He had to show her his exotic reptiles.
Casey was piecing the puzzle of her Marcus murder together.
Queen Elizabeth Theater. Simone Archambault met with Casey about Marcus death.
Barb called Casey & told her Lou’s doing much better.
I do not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing free books from publishers & authors. Therefore, I am under no obligation to write a positive review, only an honest one.
An awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very professionally written mystery book. It was quite easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a small description list of unique characters, settings, facts etc. to keep track of. This could also make another great mystery movie, or better yet a mini-TV series. There is no doubt in my mind this is an extremely easy rating of 5 stars.
Thank you for the free author; Gypsy Moon Press; BookFunnel; OddlyBooks; Amazon Digital Services LLC. Kindle Mobi; PDF book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
October 24, 2011
The Opposite of Dark
Author: Debra Purdy Kong
Reviewed by Fran Lewis
Casey Holland is a transit security officer who enjoys her job and capturing petty criminals is second nature to her. But, when she takes down her last suspect and is interrogated by her boss and the police what she learns is definitely going to change her life. Imagine burying your father and finding out that he might have died again? Imagine picturing him in his coffin and then being told by the police they just found his body and he is dead? All of the documents found lead the police to believe the man they found is her father and that the person buried might have been a fraud. But, as the clues are uncovered and she identifies the body Casey realizes that the man she buried as her father three years before was really someone else and the man in the morgue is her father. Why did he fake his death? Who is buried and why did he invent a secret life for himself allowing her to think he was dead? These questions still remain to be answered as the plot thickens in this outstanding mystery titled The Opposite of Dark by author Debra Purdy Kong.
The police question Casey, they withhold information about her father and she goes in search of answers along with her father’s girlfriend Rhonda to hopefully learn the hidden truths. Added to the intrigue is someone that is stalking her hoping that she gets scared off and does not learn the truth? With a mother who she has not seen or heard from in seventeen years and many unanswered questions can she stay one step ahead of the police and the game to find out what really happened to her father and why he was killed? Casey and her father’s fiancé Rhonda try to find out what happened to him they are stopped by the police detective on the case. Rather than giving up they begins talking to a neighbor only to find out he might have been involved with someone else but the person appears to be missing.
Working as a transit security officer she meets some really unsavory people but her police and investigative skills seem to equal or even surpass that of the detectives on the case and for some reason they are withholding information from her but she has yet to learn why.
Casey is persistent and will not give up until she learns the identity of both men that are now dead. One is her father but the other still remains a mystery. The plot thickens as she confronts her Dad’s other friend, learns of his secret or sideline business and finds out more about him than she knew before. Secrets, lies, hidden agendas and a secret past all encompass her father’s life. Her mother in touch with Rhonda hoping to find out more about Casey and wanting to claim the body of the man they think was her father. But, Casey won’t stop until she learns the truth and the web of lies, deceit and the danger to her has just begun. From England to Paris and back home Casey encounters many roadblocks, murders, and unanswered questions all leading in many directions and to many different suspects. One woman named Simone who wants her whereabouts kept secret and fills Casey in on some of the darkness of her father’s life, an ex-wife who seems more involved in his death than she was in his life, plus a fiancé that has her own secrets too, Casey’s life has certainly taken a turn and not for the better. Added to that her hotel room was ransacked, a possible killer physically attacks her and everyone wants to know what her father did with three million dollars that they think she might be able to find. With her father’s address book in hand she hoped to locate some of the people listed in it but did not. Added to the mix is her estranged mother who turns up out of nowhere after seventeen years claiming concern for her whereabouts, her safety yet working for one man that Marcus, her father was trying to get away from. Dissolving their partnership and leaving his architect business to another man when did he decide to become involved in the importing and exporting business and just what part did this play in his death? Who was murdered if not Marcus? Did he really die three years ago from botulism or is his latest fiancé telling the truth when she says he just might reappear alive and well?
Author Debra Purdy Kong weaves a tale so intricate and detailed filled with so many plot twists that the reader will stay glued to the printed page until everything is finally sorted out. Did Rhonda, her father’s fiancé and her close friend have anything to do with the murder? Who is this new tenant Darcy that appeared out of nowhere and claims concern for her? Why did her daughter Summer see him coming out of Casey’s room? What connection does he have to Theodore Ziegler her father’s partner? Wait until all of the pieces fit together and your find out the hidden truth, the secrets, lies and deceits of all of these characters and much more. As Casey delves in deeper her friend Lou faces more dangers just by being close to her. Will anyone survive this killer? Will she ever find out the truth behind her father’s death? Who is in the morgue and what relationship did he have to her father and to Rhonda? The answer to these questions you won’t believe and you will have to read for yourself.
There are so many layers to this story and so many levels to this plot as Casey learns the truth behind her father’s death, her mother’s lies and deceptions, Rhonda’s duplicity and much more. Meeting Theo Ziegler, learning who Gustaf Osterman was and hearing from too many sources including Rhonda’s different truths about her father, his business dealings and three million dollars that seems to be at the center of all these murders. Greed, deceit, love triangles, one child named Summer caught in more than the crossfire and purse-snatcher that might have started it all. When the police are late and their communications and signals are crossed will Casey get away from a killer or will she never see the light when there is so much dark. As the pieces fall together and the darkness falls and surrounds Casey and her best friend lies critically ill in the hospital will the light ever shine for her again? This is one fast paced novel filled with characters that will definitely keep the reader wondering just who can Casey trust if anyone and what happens when the startling truths are revealed. This is a definite must read and let’s hope author Debra Purdy Kong brings Casey Holland back again and brings her a shining light.
Fran Lewis: Reviewer
Author: Debra Purdy Kong
Reviewed by Fran Lewis
Casey Holland is a transit security officer who enjoys her job and capturing petty criminals is second nature to her. But, when she takes down her last suspect and is interrogated by her boss and the police what she learns is definitely going to change her life. Imagine burying your father and finding out that he might have died again? Imagine picturing him in his coffin and then being told by the police they just found his body and he is dead? All of the documents found lead the police to believe the man they found is her father and that the person buried might have been a fraud. But, as the clues are uncovered and she identifies the body Casey realizes that the man she buried as her father three years before was really someone else and the man in the morgue is her father. Why did he fake his death? Who is buried and why did he invent a secret life for himself allowing her to think he was dead? These questions still remain to be answered as the plot thickens in this outstanding mystery titled The Opposite of Dark by author Debra Purdy Kong.
The police question Casey, they withhold information about her father and she goes in search of answers along with her father’s girlfriend Rhonda to hopefully learn the hidden truths. Added to the intrigue is someone that is stalking her hoping that she gets scared off and does not learn the truth? With a mother who she has not seen or heard from in seventeen years and many unanswered questions can she stay one step ahead of the police and the game to find out what really happened to her father and why he was killed? Casey and her father’s fiancé Rhonda try to find out what happened to him they are stopped by the police detective on the case. Rather than giving up they begins talking to a neighbor only to find out he might have been involved with someone else but the person appears to be missing.
Working as a transit security officer she meets some really unsavory people but her police and investigative skills seem to equal or even surpass that of the detectives on the case and for some reason they are withholding information from her but she has yet to learn why.
Casey is persistent and will not give up until she learns the identity of both men that are now dead. One is her father but the other still remains a mystery. The plot thickens as she confronts her Dad’s other friend, learns of his secret or sideline business and finds out more about him than she knew before. Secrets, lies, hidden agendas and a secret past all encompass her father’s life. Her mother in touch with Rhonda hoping to find out more about Casey and wanting to claim the body of the man they think was her father. But, Casey won’t stop until she learns the truth and the web of lies, deceit and the danger to her has just begun. From England to Paris and back home Casey encounters many roadblocks, murders, and unanswered questions all leading in many directions and to many different suspects. One woman named Simone who wants her whereabouts kept secret and fills Casey in on some of the darkness of her father’s life, an ex-wife who seems more involved in his death than she was in his life, plus a fiancé that has her own secrets too, Casey’s life has certainly taken a turn and not for the better. Added to that her hotel room was ransacked, a possible killer physically attacks her and everyone wants to know what her father did with three million dollars that they think she might be able to find. With her father’s address book in hand she hoped to locate some of the people listed in it but did not. Added to the mix is her estranged mother who turns up out of nowhere after seventeen years claiming concern for her whereabouts, her safety yet working for one man that Marcus, her father was trying to get away from. Dissolving their partnership and leaving his architect business to another man when did he decide to become involved in the importing and exporting business and just what part did this play in his death? Who was murdered if not Marcus? Did he really die three years ago from botulism or is his latest fiancé telling the truth when she says he just might reappear alive and well?
Author Debra Purdy Kong weaves a tale so intricate and detailed filled with so many plot twists that the reader will stay glued to the printed page until everything is finally sorted out. Did Rhonda, her father’s fiancé and her close friend have anything to do with the murder? Who is this new tenant Darcy that appeared out of nowhere and claims concern for her? Why did her daughter Summer see him coming out of Casey’s room? What connection does he have to Theodore Ziegler her father’s partner? Wait until all of the pieces fit together and your find out the hidden truth, the secrets, lies and deceits of all of these characters and much more. As Casey delves in deeper her friend Lou faces more dangers just by being close to her. Will anyone survive this killer? Will she ever find out the truth behind her father’s death? Who is in the morgue and what relationship did he have to her father and to Rhonda? The answer to these questions you won’t believe and you will have to read for yourself.
There are so many layers to this story and so many levels to this plot as Casey learns the truth behind her father’s death, her mother’s lies and deceptions, Rhonda’s duplicity and much more. Meeting Theo Ziegler, learning who Gustaf Osterman was and hearing from too many sources including Rhonda’s different truths about her father, his business dealings and three million dollars that seems to be at the center of all these murders. Greed, deceit, love triangles, one child named Summer caught in more than the crossfire and purse-snatcher that might have started it all. When the police are late and their communications and signals are crossed will Casey get away from a killer or will she never see the light when there is so much dark. As the pieces fall together and the darkness falls and surrounds Casey and her best friend lies critically ill in the hospital will the light ever shine for her again? This is one fast paced novel filled with characters that will definitely keep the reader wondering just who can Casey trust if anyone and what happens when the startling truths are revealed. This is a definite must read and let’s hope author Debra Purdy Kong brings Casey Holland back again and brings her a shining light.
Fran Lewis: Reviewer
July 21, 2020
What a rollercoaster ride! And I don’t mean that in a good way. I had high hopes for this book. But my rollercoaster started way-up in the stratosphere and went straight down till it crashed and burned at the end.
This certainly shouldn’t have been called a mystery. Everything was pretty obvious once we had enough information. Thriller is a slightly better label… I think that the only reason I finished the book at all is that Ms. Kong is a reasonably good writer. Unfortunately, there was more wrong than right with her story.
I didn’t really like any of the characters. Casey Holland is hard to like, and practically everyone else in the story was a crook, or a cop who made “incompetent” sound like a compliment.
This was also a perfect storm of people doing exactly the right thing or nothing at all. I’m handed a set of floor plans just before a six-hour flight, I will read them in the last chapter. I have a gun, the crook has a tire iron, and has been shot and also wrestled to the ground. Guess who knocks the gun out of my hand?
I can’t go on any further. This was 20% good writing, and 80% let’s make it more exciting so I can sell the movie rights.
This certainly shouldn’t have been called a mystery. Everything was pretty obvious once we had enough information. Thriller is a slightly better label… I think that the only reason I finished the book at all is that Ms. Kong is a reasonably good writer. Unfortunately, there was more wrong than right with her story.
I didn’t really like any of the characters. Casey Holland is hard to like, and practically everyone else in the story was a crook, or a cop who made “incompetent” sound like a compliment.
This was also a perfect storm of people doing exactly the right thing or nothing at all. I’m handed a set of floor plans just before a six-hour flight, I will read them in the last chapter. I have a gun, the crook has a tire iron, and has been shot and also wrestled to the ground. Guess who knocks the gun out of my hand?
I can’t go on any further. This was 20% good writing, and 80% let’s make it more exciting so I can sell the movie rights.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 7, 2020
This started well and I was enjoying it but it got so farfetched when I reached 46% that I jacked it in, I'm afraid.
I was a little disappointed that Canadians appear to use acronyms as often as Americans and I have to keep stopping to look them up....they're a real bugbear of mine. She wrote out and not about, an odd error.....and she refers to stone fences but perhaps that's what they call walls over there ? Then at one point she mentioned having had plans to go and see her dad over Christmas but to my understanding she HAD gone to see him, so that confused me.
I did struggle a bit when someone pulled a penknife from his pocket out of the blue as I found that a bit hard to believe in the context it was written, but when a character was suddenly smacked and ended up in a woodpile it had gone too far for me. It seemed this killer or stalker was all over the place and her dad sounded such a prize liar that I found I really didn't care who did him in !!
There weren't any punctuation mistakes which is a rarity these days but I just couldn't get on with the story.
I was a little disappointed that Canadians appear to use acronyms as often as Americans and I have to keep stopping to look them up....they're a real bugbear of mine. She wrote out and not about, an odd error.....and she refers to stone fences but perhaps that's what they call walls over there ? Then at one point she mentioned having had plans to go and see her dad over Christmas but to my understanding she HAD gone to see him, so that confused me.
I did struggle a bit when someone pulled a penknife from his pocket out of the blue as I found that a bit hard to believe in the context it was written, but when a character was suddenly smacked and ended up in a woodpile it had gone too far for me. It seemed this killer or stalker was all over the place and her dad sounded such a prize liar that I found I really didn't care who did him in !!
There weren't any punctuation mistakes which is a rarity these days but I just couldn't get on with the story.
January 1, 2021
The reveal was actually quite disappointing for me :( I was hoping for secret twin, which is always not plausible and yet ultimately more satisfying than the truth in this book. I also disliked the weird sexual focus on Casey that was so unnecessary. Characters were always staring at Casey's big boobs or checking her out or sexually assaulting her (blegh). It was always weird and always unnecessary, imo. The writing was a lot of talking and not a lot of showing: the chapter would end and then the next chapter would be Casey discussing something we have no context for with another character, just skipping over the actual event in the book to tell us that Casey did x instead of showing us that Casey did x. Made for a jarring reading experience. It was still quite nice to see Vancouver and its suburbs showcased in a novel, so it has that going for it.
July 29, 2021
Messi but good
First off I like the story and I will definitely be reading more, I am however giving this two stars because I felt that the plot is a little bit convoluted at times and I didn’t enjoy the ending of this story, as well as finding some of the main characters personality traits and habits to be obnoxious, I felt the mystery was very amateurish and didn’t end in a very satisfying way, I also felt that some of the red herrings were completely unnecessary, the main characters habit of sharing all of her clues and thoughts with everyone it’s so frustrating, and I feel that she’s just stumbling around and never getting anywhere
I also have a bit of a problem with unwanted advances and the main character never really putting anyone down for assaulting her, but all this does not stop me from wanting to read more in the series and see where this character goes
First off I like the story and I will definitely be reading more, I am however giving this two stars because I felt that the plot is a little bit convoluted at times and I didn’t enjoy the ending of this story, as well as finding some of the main characters personality traits and habits to be obnoxious, I felt the mystery was very amateurish and didn’t end in a very satisfying way, I also felt that some of the red herrings were completely unnecessary, the main characters habit of sharing all of her clues and thoughts with everyone it’s so frustrating, and I feel that she’s just stumbling around and never getting anywhere
I also have a bit of a problem with unwanted advances and the main character never really putting anyone down for assaulting her, but all this does not stop me from wanting to read more in the series and see where this character goes
February 4, 2020
What would you do if the police came to your door asking when the last time you saw your father, and you said it was at his funeral? And then they told you he had been murdered the night before? This is the beginning of a solid mystery story. Though some of the events are motives are pretty transparent, there was enough other bits to keep you guessing and the pages turning. I had a few questions at the end that I thought needed explanation or clarification, and the actual ending I found rather abrupt....I honestly was surprised it was the last line! Other than that, I thought the story was interesting, and I believe that there will be leftovers in the next instalment. Are the dead really dead? And what about the missing 3 million? I will definitely be seeking out book #2.
May 9, 2018
Murdered Twice?
I learned about this book from a group I follow on Twitter. It intrigued me because I enjoy murder mysteries and this one was not only set in Vancouver, BC, a city I’m familiar with, but centres around the second death of the protagonist’s father. An attention grabber to be sure!
This is the first book in the Casey Holland Mystery series. Kong has done a tremendous job of creating a character who is that perfect mix of tough with just the right amount of sentiment. Holland’s job as a transit security cop adds a particularly interesting angle to the story.
I’ll definitely read more books in the Casey Holland Mystery series.
I learned about this book from a group I follow on Twitter. It intrigued me because I enjoy murder mysteries and this one was not only set in Vancouver, BC, a city I’m familiar with, but centres around the second death of the protagonist’s father. An attention grabber to be sure!
This is the first book in the Casey Holland Mystery series. Kong has done a tremendous job of creating a character who is that perfect mix of tough with just the right amount of sentiment. Holland’s job as a transit security cop adds a particularly interesting angle to the story.
I’ll definitely read more books in the Casey Holland Mystery series.
January 31, 2020
It's always a treat when a book is set not in a fictional town, but in an area you have known since childhood. It is an especial treat when the book is well-written and draws you in so deep that you lose all track of time. Normally in a mystery, the characters are painted with very specific motivations so that you can tell who the are good guys and who are the villains. This is not the case with The Opposite of Dark. From moment to moment, the framework of the story shifts and we only have a firm grasp on the inclination of our protagonist; everyone else is suspect. This was a gritty read and perhaps not to everyone's taste, but I was absorbed by it.
March 11, 2020
An action-packed read with a complicated main character. Casey Holland is a flawed character that jumps into action before thinking things through. She takes crazy risks and lets the past cloud her vision. You can't help but like her. The story has many interesting characters and keeps you guessing from the very start. Many things aren't what they seem. When her deceased father shows up murdered, thee years after she buried him, Casey has many questions. She'll stop at nothing to find the answers, but will she like what she finds? I like this character and plan to read more in this exciting series.
September 2, 2024
Who to trust
A fast-moving, action filled story with so many twists and turns and murders, it was hard to figure out who killed who. Casey's mother and friend Rhonda had always had a complicated relationship. Casey's dad was involved with less than honorable characters who came after Casey for the 3 million dollars he was supposedly hiding. Will Casey survive unscathed and better yet, will she ever trust again.
A fast-moving, action filled story with so many twists and turns and murders, it was hard to figure out who killed who. Casey's mother and friend Rhonda had always had a complicated relationship. Casey's dad was involved with less than honorable characters who came after Casey for the 3 million dollars he was supposedly hiding. Will Casey survive unscathed and better yet, will she ever trust again.
January 15, 2020
Not for me
I found the characters underdeveloped and sometimes unbelievable. The central plot is juvenile and things don't add up - like having been in Paris for 40 hours when referring to being in a room in Amsterdam "last night". If reads as though a bunch of storylines have been desperately twisted together to make a book. It failed for me. Sorry.
I found the characters underdeveloped and sometimes unbelievable. The central plot is juvenile and things don't add up - like having been in Paris for 40 hours when referring to being in a room in Amsterdam "last night". If reads as though a bunch of storylines have been desperately twisted together to make a book. It failed for me. Sorry.
July 17, 2020
The symbolism with the Stellar's Jay and the Pansies was fun to look into. Surprisingly, doing a little bit of research of the two symbols made me appreciate Casey more as a character instead of less.
The tension whenever Casey was alone with Lillian was just A+. I could feel my skin crawl whenever Lillian, Theo, or Darcy were around.
The tension whenever Casey was alone with Lillian was just A+. I could feel my skin crawl whenever Lillian, Theo, or Darcy were around.
January 3, 2020
Confused? You will be.
What words can describe this drivel? A mishmash of ridiculous plot and character. First one way, then another, without any real resolution or finality. The text goes a long way to explaining nothing. Forget trying to understand it, just give it a miss.
What words can describe this drivel? A mishmash of ridiculous plot and character. First one way, then another, without any real resolution or finality. The text goes a long way to explaining nothing. Forget trying to understand it, just give it a miss.
February 3, 2020
At last-a real page-turner
Fast-moving thriller, cops, robbers, filled with intrigue, double-crossings. Then the double -crossers double-crossing each other. Very original. You will absolutely read to the end.
Fast-moving thriller, cops, robbers, filled with intrigue, double-crossings. Then the double -crossers double-crossing each other. Very original. You will absolutely read to the end.
December 26, 2020
Complicated
It was fast-paced and well-thought-through, and I understand why quite a few readers liked it. My quite-possibly-aging brain couldn't keep up with the twists and turns and the characters' multiple layers of lies. How the author conceived such a plot is a marvel.
It was fast-paced and well-thought-through, and I understand why quite a few readers liked it. My quite-possibly-aging brain couldn't keep up with the twists and turns and the characters' multiple layers of lies. How the author conceived such a plot is a marvel.
June 16, 2021
This is the 1st of Debra's books I have read and it won't be the last.
A lot of characters and story lines /plots. But the way it is written, makes everything clear and
easy to follow. Fast paced and engaging, read it in one night/ very early morning. 🙂
A lot of characters and story lines /plots. But the way it is written, makes everything clear and
easy to follow. Fast paced and engaging, read it in one night/ very early morning. 🙂
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