Down the Darkest Road

Oak Knoll #3

by Tami Hoag

Tami Hoag

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Fiction, Crime, Mystery Thriller, Audiobook

432 pages, Paperback

First published December 27, 2011

About the author

Tami Hoag is the #1 internationally bestselling author of more than thirty books published in more than thirty languages worldwide, including her latest thrillers—BITTER SEASON, COLD COLD HEART and THE 9TH GIRL. Renowned for combining thrilling plots with character-driven suspense, Hoag first hit the New York Times Bestseller list with NIGHT SINS, and each of her books since has been a bestseller.

She leads a double life in Palm Beach County, Florida where she is also known as a top competitive equestrian in the Olympic discipline of dressage. Other interests include the study of psychology, and mixed martial arts fighting.


Visit her at www.tamihoag.com, Facebook.com/TamiHoag and on Twitter @TamiHoag

Reviews

[Paul Weiss · Rating 5 out of 5]

“This isn’t even a whodunit. This is a what-the-hell”!

Sometimes there’s no need to go beyond the clichés. DOWN THE DARKEST ROAD is one of those times. Simply put, it’s a gripping thriller that will have you turning the pages as quickly as you can well into the wee hours. And it’s got much more going for it than simply a frenetic, high-speed plot. The meat of the story comes from today’s headlines – stalking, pedophilia, teenage self-mutilation, serial rape and murder, and a legal system that seems to give criminals far more protection and legal rights than the victims. Danni Tanner, a female police detective in a man’s world who’s quite capable of giving back far, far more than the hailstorm of misogynistic crap that she endures every single working day, is an absolute riot. You’ll love her and definitely be hoping against hope that she shows up in a future Tami Hoag offering.

Paul Weiss

[Vivisection · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not gonna lie. Since I got an eReader, I rarely grab books at the grocery store any more. My cart is pristine and guiltless except for the fact that I don't always buy organic. And I buy a lot of booze.

I make my shameful purchases in the dark at two a.m. and then record them here for the world to see. So I feel badly about adding this to grocery store impulse purchase shelf EXCEPT that I saw this at Ralph's and knew to download it. So it counts.

For the record: NO SPINSTERS DIE. NO SLUTTY GIRLS ARE MURDERED. AND despite her track record, Oak Knoll's secret treasure, Anne Leone DOES NOT GET STABBED. So whew, right?

Oh, Lifetime novels.

Instead, we get those hard boiled cops who call the perps bastards and psychos; there's also the trope of there-is-no-love/grief/anger/rage-like-that-of-a-MOTHER. Once again, MOTHERHOOD is revered and MOTHERS are the only pure force in the world seeking justice for their CHILDREN.

Rest assured though, the evil doers are really EVIL, FRUIT OF THE DEVIL, EVIL and the attempt to suss them out and capture them dead or alive is quite suspenseful.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

My least favorite book of the series. This book barely included any of the original characters. The main mystery was never really solved and the perpetrator in the novel were easily determined and stated from the beginning. I was let down with this book of the series.

[Meredith · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am usually a big fan of Tami Hoag and have been following her novels for years, but this one is absolutely awful, mainly due to the presence of the most self-absorbed, navel-contemplating, sniveling protagonist I have encountered in long time...Lauren Lawson is so despicable that I had a hard time finishing this book. I did not care in the least what happens to this poor excuse for an adult human being, and this totally colors my interest in the other characters. Luckily the parts of the book in which she wallows in self-pity are printed in italic typeface, so I could skip over them. The book is otherwise hampered by a plot that is about adequate for a short story, elongated into more than 400 pages. This book is the antithesis of a good read. So glad this was a library book.

[Obsidian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Please note that I gave this book 3.5 stars. However, I rounded it up to 4 stars on Goodreads.

Down the Darkest Road is not my favorite Tami Hoag book and I think the reason why is that because I read the series out of order. I hate doing that. In my defense though I bought this at the bookstore and asked a sales associate if this was the first book in the series because the books are not identified in any way as number 1, 2, or 3. So this is my roundabout way of saying that Barnes and Noble, you are kind of sucking lately.

Even without the book not being read in order though I had a hard time getting into this one. We had so many points of views in this book and I wish that we had just stuck with the mother and detective in this one. Instead we throw in the possible serial rapist/killer along with the mother's daughter and I was tired halfway through. Especially because the serial rapist/killer's points of view were just full of awfulness and generally made me want to shower and check on the locks on my doors.

Down the Darkest Road is number three in the Oak Knoll series. Apparently murderers and serial killers love the place. Serious question though, who the heck keeps living there when it seems like ugly things/people keep settling down there. Same question I always had about people that kept right on living in Sunnydale.

Told in the third person, Down the Darkest Road follows Lauren Lawton and her teenage daughter Leah move to Oak Knoll after dealing with two crippling blows. First, the abduction (and probable murder) of Lauren's older daughter Leslie. Two years later, Lauren's husband Lance (yes they all have L's it drove me crazy while reading) dies and Lauren feels stuck. Moving to Oak Knoll she hopes will give her and Leah a fresh start. However, Lauren quickly realizes that the man she blames for her daughter's abduction has followed them and she decides she will do whatever it takes to take him down.

So we get a little of Linda Hamilton in Terminator Judgement Day and also a heck of a lot of woman who sometimes seems to not have any type of common sense at all with the character of Lauren. As a reader you feel sympathetic to her plight, but once you realize that you kind of had your eyes closed to what was going on (with a reveal that just seemed to happen with no fanfare) you kind of want to smack Lauren upside the head. Or at least I did.

Besides Lauren we also get Leah's perspective in this book and it's pretty apparent she is just as messed up as her mother is and just doesn't know what to do. She has pretty much taken to being the mother in the relationship.

Detective Mendez I really didn't get much of a handle on in this book besides him being old fashioned when it comes to not swearing in front of women and opening doors for them. I know in this case it was because of the fact we already see the guy in books #1 and 2. I just needed a bit more history included in this one about him.

I thought the writing was typical Tami Hoag. She always has a way of turning a phrase or just making you think that the woman has looked into the darkest scariest minds out there. The POV from the serial rapist/killer were just awful. That said, the flow was all over the place. There were too many POVs to track and I wish that we had just either followed Lauren or if we needed more than one POV to just include Leah's perspective too. They were the new characters and I wanted to read more about them. I can see including Martinez's perspective, but maybe cut it down even more. And yes I know I just complained that I didn't get much history from the guy in this book, but there are happy mediums.

The setting of Oak Knoll though it takes place in California really did read as either in the mid-west or east coast to me. I don't know why, it's just the book read as "dark" to me so having it take place in California really didn't work. Or maybe it's because I just finished a Kovac/Liksa book and my brain was set to Minnesota.

The ending came out of nowhere and I may have coughed "bullshit" a few times when I got to it. Because seriously? There is a mention somewhere that can lead some readers to this ending, but you really have to be looking for it. Other than that I was not really blown away by the book. I think the gimmick of it taking place during I believe is 1990 to show how cases got solved prior to DNA testing and FBI profiling is a really cool idea. But, other than that, I really don't see what makes this book different than other mystery novels that take prior to those things being in existence either. I mean I read Sue Grafton novels and those books have all so far taken place in the 1980s.

[Bill Garrison · Rating 2 out of 5]

DOWN THE DARKEST ROAD is Tami Hoag's third thriller in the Oak Knoll Series. The novel is set in the late 1980s long before the internet, cell phones, DNA testing and other advances made it easier to catch criminals. This book is by far the worst in the series. While the characters were interesting, it felt like it never got out of the first act. The first 350 pages seemed to be just a set up for the final 75 page finale. Some might claim the suspense was more psychological. I'm not claiming that wasn't well written or interesting, but there are only so many times you can read about the suffering of Lauren Lawton.

Lauren has lots of reasons to suffer. Her 16-year-old daughter vanished and the suspected kidnapper/murder Roland Ballencoa was never even arrested for the crime. To make matters worse, Ballencoa had been harrassing Lauren through the years. Lauren and surviving daughter Leah moved to Oak Knoll to escape the specter of her other daughter's disappearance (she can't even stand the thought of thinking she is dead.)

The jacket novel summary states that "a stunning question changes everything they thought they knew." I kept waiting for that stunning question. For a twist to break the monotony of the plodding plot. But nothing happens. Instead we get regulars like Tony Mendex and Anne Leone trying to comfort Lauren while at the same time trying to find evidence that Ballencoa is anything more than a major creep.

Hoag has been one of my favorite authors for years, and I'll continue to read her books. Others may have enjoyed the plotting of this novel. I don't think Hoag made a mistake, she just chose to write a different type of novel that didn't really mesh with the jacket description.

[Teresa Medeiros · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know better than to start a Tami Hoag book when I want to accomplish anything else because once I started this one, I didn't want to put it down. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. It was so nice to revisit characters from her former novels like Vince and Anne Leone and Mendez. What Tami does best is incorporate emotion into her stories. (Probably a gift from her years as a bestselling romance author.) Even when she's writing police procedure, it's never JUST procedure. You feel every emotion the characters are feeling. This was a harrowing story in that Lauren's rage and grief as a mom whose teenage daughter disappeared without a trace is so real. You get frustrated by her apparent willingness to sacrifice her younger daughter Leah's happiness while seeking the truth, yet you also entirely identify with her and that's the sign of a skilled storyteller. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough and the action-packed conclusion was definitely worth the wait. Tami Hoag's gift is similar to Stephen King in that she can take you down the darkest roads of the human psyche but ultimately lead you back to a place where hope is still out there on the horizon. If you love suspense, I highly recommend this novel!

[Rachel (TheShadesofOrange) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

I didn't quite enjoy this one as much as the first book in this companion series but I found it more compelling than the second book. It's just so easy to understand the fear and worry of a mother.

[CD {Boulder Blvd} · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the third book in the Oak Knoll Series by Tami Hoag. I have enjoyed all three books and having discovered them later was able to read all three books in a Tami Hoag binge reading week.

[Pisces51 · Rating 3 out of 5]

DOWN THE DARKEST ROAD [2011] (Oak Knoll Book 3) By Tami Hoag
My Review 3.5 Stars***

I finished my trip in the time machine back to Oak Knoll, California circa 1990 last night, snug in my bed in the Spring of 2021. This was the third and final installment of Hoag’s Oak Knoll trilogy, and having fallen in love with the characters populating book one (DEEPER THAN THE DEAD), and just finishing Book 2 of the Oak Knoll storyline (SECRETS TO THE GRAVE), I felt the inevitable desire to follow the happenings in the series to its conclusion.

The fictional events that take place in the three books take place in 1985, 1986, and 1990 respectively and each book is accompanied by interesting AUTHOR’S NOTES. Hoag reminds those readers who are, well let’s face it, “old” enough, to feel nostalgic about the mid-80’s and the advent of the ‘90s. This was the “golden age” of the FBI’s profiling unit, and the “Days of the Nine” (the veritable legends of FBI Profiling). The first in this series is simply spectacular and I loved it. Book 2 was very good but for a few minor criticisms. This final novel in the trilogy is frankly not in the same league as the first two installments, and not even in the same hemisphere as the debut book DEEPER THAN THE DEAD.

The author’s goal in large part for setting these stories in the past was to contrast the forensic science that is available to law enforcement agencies today in comparison to what homicide detectives had to work with twenty-five to thirty years ago. This third installment of the series particularly focuses on the subject of DNA evidence, a science which was still in its infancy in 1990. It succeeds in its stark portrayal of the level of frustration and futility that hamstringed the “good guys” in putting dangerous felons and killers behind bars due to the absence of forensic evidence, especially DNA.

The plot centers on the main character of Lauren, a middle-aged widow whose 16-year-old daughter Leslie had been abducted and disappeared without a trace four years previously. She ostensibly moves to Oak Knoll with her remaining (now 16-year-old) daughter Leah for a fresh start. The alleged purpose is to distance herself from their home in Santa Barbara in order to get away from all of the painful memories. She has begun writing a journal to chronicle the taking of her daughter, the disintegration of her family, the suicide of her husband, and the impotence of law enforcement to arrest the man responsible for destroying their life. The narrative proceeds with Lauren meeting Detective Tony Mendez literally “head-on” with her shopping cart in a market while she is shopping for food items to make her and Leah dinner.

It is not my intention to provide a synopsis of the plot line or to reveal any “spoilers”. Let it suffice to say that the bulk of the narrative consists of the main character Lauren engaging in retrospection, self-analysis, speculation, and about any other kind of self-absorption that is possible. The reader gradually becomes aware of the depth of Lauren’s despair, rage, and total obsession with the man believed to be responsible for the disappearance and fate of her missing daughter Leslie. The main protagonist of Lauren is unsympathetic to the nth degree. This unfortunate truth tends to tempt the reader to skim or gloss over long sections of Lauren going on and on about evil, the absence of any God, the impotence of any and all of law enforcement in every jurisdiction, etc. The blind obsession of Lauren is pivotal to the plot of course, and frankly the plot is pretty uncomplicated in my opinion. The characters that were so enjoyable and enchanting in the prior Oak Knoll installments are for all intents and purposes worthy only of a mention in the entire book. The exception is Detective Tony Mendez, albeit peripheral players like his partner Hicks and the Sheriff have a few actual lines in the novel.

The sheer futility of a hand-cuffed police department in arresting the predator who abducted Lauran’s daughter is palpable. In the prior jurisdiction, the detectives were ultimately able to justify a search warrant but the results of a belated search turned up only a minute amount of blood on the vehicle of the person of interest. All readers of crime fiction know that in the beginning minute amounts of blood, saliva, semen---or for that matter any material containing DNA---were destroyed during the process of extracting the sample. It was only when the science advanced to possess the capacity to duplicate DNA strands from even miniscule samples that DNA ascended to the apex of its power to help police arrest and convict the guilty. In our novel, the speck of blood on the suspect’s vehicle is rightly preserved by the police to allow science time to advance. Obviously that fact would rightfully taunt and anger the mother of the victim.

DOWN THE DARKEST ROAD was not all that “though-provoking” for me. I did enjoy the Churchill quote. It became relevant to the Title of the book when Lauren reflects toward the end:

“As Winston Churchill said, “If you’re going through hell, keep going.” I know from hard experience that can be the longest journey down the darkest road. And I have learned that sometimes the shortest distance isn’t forward, but up.”

I haven’t said anything actually positive about the book thus far, so I will relay the fact that the new character of Detective Danni Tanner is an absolute treat. She and Mendez together are a laugh a minute. Hoag can write witty LOL dialogue with the best of them.

That said the character of Lauran while tragic wore thin and thinner with me with every passing page. I am on the fence as to whether the descriptions of sexual encounters between Lauran and her hunky sleazy PI were necessary to the plot. The vulgar language used to explicitly explain every step of their sexual adventures was crude and I don't consider myself a prude. This was pure porn as opposed to graphic romantic passion.

Finally, when I initially got to the end of this book, I entered a Four-Star Rating kind of reflexively in retrospect. Having sat down and written this brief book review reflecting my thoughts on the reading experience I know that I was perhaps subconsciously taking into consideration that it was part of the Oak Knoll trilogy. That said, it needs to be considered as a standalone novel. The fact is some folks read a series installment and don’t even realize it until later or maybe not at all. Therefore, this individual entry is no more than 3.5 Stars and that is being generous. I would not recommend it for readers who loved the first two installments and are wanting to read it because it is the last one in the trilogy. It’s not all that.

DISAPPOINTING END TO AN OTHERWISE OUTSTANDING OAK KNOLL BOOK SERIES BY HOAG

[Sandra Valente · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book even though it was completely heart wrenching. It's been a while since I have read anything by Tami Hoag and I felt like slapping myself for it, needless to say that I shall get my backside into gear. I've now realised that there were two books prior to this one with the first being 'Deeper than the Dead' and the second, 'Secrets to the Grave'. All I know is that I'm thankful it can be read as a stand alone. Vince Leone, an FBI agent and Tony Mendez, a detective - who is one of the main characters in 'Down the Darkest Road', make appearances in all three.

I know I won't be the only one who will read or has read this book, to think or even try to imagine what it must be like for parents to lose a child, in any manner. This book affected me in more ways than one although the premise was different with the end result being the same. I personally haven't experienced the loss of a child and hope to God that I never do, but my neighbours have. Having offered as much support as is humanly possible in a situation such as this, I have seen and experienced first hand how acts of pure unnecessary evil can and continues to leave a gaping hole and permanent scar within a family. Some families, however much they try, aren't strong enough or don't have a support structure much as Lauren Lawton didn't have. My neighbours, bless them, had a support structure and are still holding strong - as strong as is God's will. So, as I sit here with tears in my eyes, I can only but smile up at Ryan, letting him know he will never be forgotten - for he hasn't really left, he is only but in the next room.

Lauren Lawton's family is torn apart when her 16 year old daughter, Leslie, goes missing. Not only do Lauren and Lance lose a daughter, but 12 year old Leah, loses a sister. Lance, unable to bear the loss tragically ends his life by driving off a mountain. As far as Lauren and Leah, separately, are concerned, he took the easy way out. Although she will always love him, Lauren can never forgive him for this. She knows who is responsible for Leslie's disappearance, but nothing could and still cannot be proven. Technology as we know it today, was still unavailable in the 80's. She knows it's Roland Ballencoa, she's told the police it's him, but without proof he can't be charged. He's good though, and has had years of practice. He leaves nothing to chance making it that much more difficult to pin anything, however minute on him.

Deciding that she and Leah need a change from Santa Barbara, they move to Oak Knoll, a town with a high college prescence, and stay at the girls' godparents' house. At the supermarket one day Lauren thinks she sees Ballencoa - could be her imagination, maybe she's just gone crazy or is exhausted beyond belief - and rams her trolley into that of Tony Mendez. Rushing out in order to see if it's really Ballencoa, with Tony Mendez in pursuit and unbeknowst to Lauren, she proceeds to drive dangerously. Tony stops her, not really for the way she was driving, but for the fact that what he witnessed inside of the supermarket, peaked his curiosity. After speaking with Lauren, he decides to learn more about the case, and if predator of young girls has indeed moved into his town.

Periodically throughout the story, Lauren is writing her own book relating to the events that led to the night in question including her feelings of helplessness and ignorance as a mother to Leah. The parts that really got my hackels up in this story were those between Lauren and Leah. Lauren gave birth to two daughters, not one. Yes, Leslie is missing, has been missing for four years, but, Leah is still very much alive. She needs her mother, now probably more than ever. She has suffered as much of a tragedy and true to teenage angst, drugs or self mutilation are ways to stop the pain, if only for a while. Covering pain with pain is never a solution. It's truly a story that has many facets which both left me sympathising with Lauren, or wanting to shake some sense in to her at the same time in regards to her Leah.

A cast of interesting characters are mixed and varied in this story with one of my favourites being Danni Tanner. She comes equipped with quite a foul mouth, yet despite this, she didn't come across as simply disgusting. Sometimes, it's necessary. The vibe I got throughout the book eludes to a love interest in a future book between Danni and Tony, although at the beginning I somehow thought it would be Lauren and Tony. Tony Mendez is one of the good guys and it always shows.

As for the perp, that he unfortunately got away with what he was doing for so many years is disgusting. That a thing such as him had the gall to lay complaints against the police for harrassment and Lauren for stalking, had to be the most frustrating thing ever and although technology has evolved in leaps and bounds, its still very much evident in today's society that a lot of criminals can and do get away with most things whether due to insufficent evidence, or proper evidence gathering at crime scenes. Innocent until proven guilty is all well and good, but what about those that are truly guilty, yet are free to roam, further committing heinous crime after heinous crime, until such time as they are proven guilty? This said, it's a catch 22, caught between a rock and a hard place. I would hate for an innocent person to be locked up as if they are guilty until such time as they are proven innocent. Tough situation, one always open for debate (and no, I am not inviting such a debate) and it has happened, numerous times.

A book worth my time, and yours.

[Lisa Kusel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listened. Once again, Kirsten Potter was perfection.

I AM SO UNBELIEVABLY SAD that this series is now over. Do you hear my tears falling?

To be sure, this tale was the darkest of the three. There were a lot of really uncomfortable scenes. And violence.

Regardless, what continued to amaze and awe me is Hoag's uncanny ability to translate inner thoughts into literary drama. We spend so much time inside Lauren's tormented head. I am not always fond of continuous inner dialogue, but in Hoag's hands, I didn't mind. Not one thought (not one bit of spoken dialogue either for that matter) ever rang false.

For sure I missed having Anne and Vince more involved, but oh I loved that Tanner.

Bring them all back, please. Something new and exciting must be happening in Oak Knoll these days, no?

[Sonia Cristina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Como é que uma história sobre algo tão horrível pode merecer 5 estrelas? É a forma como Tami Hoag prende a atenção e estimula a simpatia e empatia pelos personagens principais: Mendez pela sua dedicação, por ser um polícia íntegro, interessado e competente e Lauren pela sua dor pela perda da filha. Também pelo ódio e nojo pelo predador que é identificado logo de início e que, mesmo assim, consegue escapar vez atrás de vez à Justiça, entrando num jogo que controla ao ponto de se fazer passar ele próprio pela vítima.

Ao saber do tema, que é difícil, não pensei que iria dar por mim tão embrenhada na leitura e interessada nos acontecimentos. Foi uma agradável surpresa dar por mim tão feliz com este livro nas mãos e a aproveitar todos os minutos livres para ler mais umas páginas.

Desde cedo desconfiei que Bellancoa não era o assassino de Leslie, apesar de não ter dúvidas que é culpado de muito mais, mas não o via como assassino. Assim que Hewitt entrou no cenário houve qualquer coisa que me levou a pensar: "Foi ele!" e esta impressão não me largou até tudo ser revelado. Afinal, estive meio certa e meio errada, provavelmente foi Bellancoa que matou a miúda mas Hewitt também estava metido no assunto.

Tive foi muita pena da Leah, ter de passar pelo rapto, ouvir as coisas que ouviu daqueles 2 malucos, a pancada que apanhou e viu a mãe apanhar e ainda ter de atacá-los para sobreviver... É muito para uma menina de 15 anos.

[Bonnie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interested in more of my reviews? Visit my blog!

Down the Darkest Road was kindly provided to me by Netgalley for Penguin Group (USA).

3.5 stars

Set in the early 90s, ‘Down the Darkest Road’ is the third installment in Tami Hoag’s ‘Oak Knoll’ series. Once again we’re thrown into the world of Vince and Anne and Mendez where the current investigation deals with missing 16 year-old Leslie who disappears without a trace and her mother Laura who is left to cope with her absence. This was definitely a heartbreaking and emotional story; one that could’ve been plucked right from the front pages which made it scarily realistic.

I’m becoming a big fan of Tami Hoag’s mysteries as she’s such a talented writer who is able to successfully write a concrete mystery with strong characters. Each detail is described extremely well and the story practically absorbs you straight into the pages. The pages flew with this one and I quite enjoyed the wrap-up on this one. The books in this series continue to be intense and exciting. Definitely recommended for existing Tami Hoag and for fans of mystery/thrillers!

[Sheree · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I am really not one to predict the plot of books, nor do I really try to, but sadly I saw this one coming. I was very much into it and then I don’t know what happened. I wish there was something else to be a twist other than what I had figured out, but the end was just quite bland.

[♥Rachel♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imagine having your sixteen-year old daughter abducted; disappear without knowing if or where she's alive. Imagine knowing who took her and not being able to do anything about it! This is the situation Lauren Lawton finds herself in for the last four years.

The Lawton family was once a happy family of four, husband and wife, with two daughters: Leslie and Leah, living a charmed life in Santa Barbara, California. Leslie being abducted has destroyed that. Lance, Lauren's husband couldn't take the pain of losing Leslie, and in a tragic accident, he drove off a mountain road two years after Leslie's disappearance. For the last four years, Lauren's main focus in life is finding a way to make the man responsible, Roland Ballencoa pay. Needing a change in scenery for both her and Leah, Lauren decides to leave Santa Barbara and move to a small college town north, Oak Knoll. This all seems to be working out well until Lauren thinks she sees Roland in Oak Knoll, at the grocery store! Has he followed them up there or is her mind, tired from grief and lack of sleep, playing tricks on her? Lauren drops everything and pursues him out of the parking lot to see if it's really him. This captures the attention of Detective Tony Mendez, whom we've already met in the past two books. He pulls Lauren over for her erratic driving. When Tony finds out whom Lauren is and who she thinks she's seen he goes to work finding out more about this case. Tony wants to know if this child predator has moved into his backyard, and what his plans are. Also, if there is a female around in distress, Tony is there to save the day (can I have a Tony, please?)!

This story is set in the same universe as Tami Hoag's previous novels Deeper than the Dead and Secrets to the Grave (Oak Knoll, #2). Both novels are set in the 1980's. Vince Leone an FBI agent and Tony Mendez a detective in Oak Knoll are central characters in all three. I loved both of these books, and was happy to get to see all these characters again! Tami does a wonderful job of capturing the feel of the 80's, bringing back a lot of memories for me! It was interesting to see how cases were worked without all of our modern technology. Both Vince and Tony are very involved in the "new concept" of profiling. I love Tony's character, he's so protective and chivalrous *swoon*! In both the first two books, Tony had lost on his love interest, so I was hoping for a match up for him here. There is, sort of but unfortunately it wasn't with the person I was hoping for him. Maybe it was a little too soon. Hopefully it works out in the next book. If you're looking for a well plotted mystery with romance, these books are a definite recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and The Penguin Group for allowing me to read this!

[shania · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well, what can I say? I had no clue that this was a "series" and, what do you know, I ended up reading the latest one. I feel a little cheated, but then again, I did do it to myself. But because I didn't read the first two, I think that may be why I wasn't so impressed? I wasn't attatched to any of the characters such as others may be, and so I started the book with a clean slate. And let me just say, I have no need to read the first two.

First off, I want to just put this little fact into your head, I AM A TEENAGER. Now, I do hear my fair share of foul language and crude remarks in my high school, so usually this kind of thing wouldn't throw me off. BUT HOLY CRAP! The story started perfectly normal - teen goes missing, parents are heart-broken, father kills himself, you know, the norm. But then towards the middle of the book, LORD HAVE MERCY! The mother, Lauren Lawton, relives her filthy night sleeping with her private investigator, Greg Hewitt, and then does it again on the front porch. Oh my, I felt as if I was reading "The 50 Shades of Gray". After reading the scenes, I felt like I needed a shower and to go to church and pray for forgiveness. I've ran into intimate scenes before in previous books I've read, but not quite as...DETAILED.

Another point that sort of turned me away from liking this book is Roland Ballencoa. One thing I hated was his name, however, this was a personal thing, so I doubt anyone felt the same way. I had just finished the lovely book "Book of Lost Things" by John Connolly, and one of the characters was named Roland whom I absolutely adored. So then reading about how Tami Hoag's Roland was a pervert and a murderer was quite painful. But that's just me being me. Anyways, I was also disapointed about the fact that the kidnapper of Leslie really was Roland Ballencoa. Actually, Greg Hewitt was also involved, but still! I was expecting this HUGE plot twist, like maybe it really was Leslie's father, or maybe it was their family friend, Bump Bristol? But no. It was Roland (and Greg).

Because of these silly little personal things, I never enjoyed this book. Though the end was fast-paced and exciting, the rest of the book was enough to cancel the ending out of the "love" equation.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

I occasionally have to read something light and easy to read. Tami Hoag will not win the Nobel Prize for literature. However, her novels are easy to read and do have a twist usually hard to predict. This one was easy to see a mile away and the ending was a bit far fetched. I mean by that the serial killers suddenly got very sloppy. Like other reviewers I preferred her earlier books.

The main protagonist Lauren has gone through two tragedies her daughter went missing and her husband drove off a cliff. Now she has moved to the same city of where the man she believes kidnapped and killed her daughter lives. She is not a likable character and makes some questionable life choices, very repetitive in places and the PI she uses is odd. Along comes Detective Perez who has to help solve this very solvable story but all they lack is evidence. It is part of a series of three books with this the final one although I would not rush out and buy them.

[Shaun · Rating 5 out of 5]

The third in the Oak Knoll series, I actually thought this was the best.

Hoag has a talent for creating angst and tragic characters. Nothing new here, but then again something doesn't have to be new or different to be entertaining.

While occasionally cliche, I find her characters well-developed and likeable.

Bottom line: Solid mystery, heavy on the psychological suspense with just enough action to keep it moving.

[Tez · Rating 4 out of 5]

WARNNG: Self-harm, rape threats.

[Jenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my first Hoag book and I have to say, I enjoyed it. There's just something so fun about a mystery.

Lauren Lawton has suffered horrible losses over the past 4 years. First, her daughter goes missing and though she knows who did it, without tangible evidence, there's nothing the police can do. Then, her husband kills himself over the grief. Unable to move on, Lauren moves herself and her other daughter to the small town of Oak Knoll, hoping to finally get closure. But all that goes up in smoke when the guy who took her daughter surfaces in town.

Ok so this one had me going a couple of times. Was Lauren so hyper-fixated on this one guy that it obscured her view on anything else? Did he actually do it? Is her daughter still alive? And just what secrets is Lauren herself keeping?

Let's get one thing straight, Lauren was not well. She was drowning in grief and completely disregarded her other daughter, Leah. I felt for Leah and could hear her crying out for help on every page, but Lauren just couldn't hear it. And not wanting to burden her mother with more grief, Leah kept to herself. It was a heartbreaking cycle and I didn't see a way out for these two. Luckily, in Oak Knoll they cross paths with detective Tony Mendez and local grief counselor Anne. Obviously there is some history with these two. This was a third book in a series and although Hoag did a good job of giving enough to know them, I found myself wanting to know more about their stories as well. So I just may go back and read the first 2 if I can find them.

As we came closer to the end, this book really picked up. I found myself frantically turning the pages trying to uncover the mystery. And it was horrific honestly. I can't even imagine going through any of this and my heart goes out to those that have suffered anything remotely close. A solid thriller.

[Patricia (Irishcharmer) Yarian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wellllll! Ok...I admit it...I just had to read this! My first mistake was not paying attention that this was a series of 3 with this being #3! Now I have to go find #1 n #2!! Just to see what I missed!!

I do enjoy Tami's writing--but I more or less had this figured out shortly after I opened the book...I did so feel sorry for Lauren for all her devastating losses...then I rea!ized -she totally put her one and only baby girl on the back burner! Like she couldn't care one big damn that she still had another LIVING daughter...then I kinda got that "woe is me" feeling..amazing how vodka can totally numb the brain huh!?

And she finds, stalks and tries to figure out just how to GET the guy she just knows took her daughter Leslie...she just knows he's a sneaky, perverted, evil jackass that took her daughter...only again no evidence..per all the cops, detectives are telling her..BUT! By George she WILL find what's needed even if she dies trying and taking her young daughter with her! After all, Leah (the living daughter! Because we all know that by now the snatched one is not among the living!) hasn't been living a productive life..a bit introverted..a bit self destructive(cutting) and good ol mom doesn't notice (more like she doesn't give a rats #%= )

I don't want to trash this story..it was a page turner with a twisty turvy kind of finish...And I do like Tami ..but in a way I did think it could be a "trigger" ...And I was enthralled to where I just had to finish it so it became a late nighter ... To me it's not a 5 but nor was it just a lowly 1..it was somewhere in the middle...now off I go to find #1 n #2!!--P/

[Alexandria Massey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my least favorite of the series. I think because we are presented with the suspect and his perspective from the beginning, the rest of the book is just a drag until his eventual demise. There isn’t any debate about if it he did it or not because he’s weird and immediately breaks into someone’s home when we meet him. The other guy wasn’t really a twist because he is the only other character we meet. The lack of Vince and Ann also made this book drag. I like Detective Mendez but his perspective isn’t as interesting. The mother following the suspected killer and putting her daughter in danger was also really frustrating. She pretty easily could have left her to stay with the family friends and gone on her suicide mission alone. Overall, I found most parts of this story frustrating which was a disappointing conclusion to the series.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oh man, this was rough. The first two books are great. This one has a HORRIBLE main character. Lauren is self-absorbed to the point of child abuse. Her poor kid Leah gets zero interaction with her, unless she's being screamed at. Leah made breakfast and asked her mother to eat something, and she screamed at her. Lauren moved to this town to follow the predator who took her other daughter, Leslie. Putting Leah directly in harm's way! I mean, he moved! You didn't have to worry about him anymore! She basically uses Leah as bait. She pawns Leah off on people she doesn't know, then screams at them for not doing a good enough job. She screams at the police for being incompetent, which they absolutely were not. Lauren basically spends the entire book wallowing in self-pity and screaming at people. Everyone is incompetent. Argh! I wanted her daughter Leah to get adopted into another family. Lauren tries to redeem herself at the end, but she still sucks. Lauren of course was taking stupid risks and almost got them both killed, and Leah saved them. Leah was great, Dani Tanner was great, and Lauren was awful.

Side note: Why would you name a female character Dani Tanner? I kept forgetting she was female, and picturing Bob Saget.

[Diane S ☔ · Rating 4 out of 5]

What would you do if your daughter had been missing for three years, the police think they know who did it but have no proof. The man is harassing you and the police don't believe you and soon they find you intrusive and hysterical? In her third Oak Knoll thriller, Hoag does a wonderful job portraying a woman at the end of her rope consumed by frustration and guilt, up against pure evil. She soon runs into Vince Leon, and Annie who do believe her and using the new techniques in forensics help her to find closure. Top notch suspense with enough twists to keep thriller fans asking for more. This was an ARC provided by Net Galley.

[Curlyhair · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book 3 in the series and my least favourite. Only one of the main characters from earlier books, played a big part. The main character, the mother, while in a bad position, just plain got on my nerves. Sorry to say, spoiler alert, it’s not difficult to know what is coming at the end. Not one the authors best in my humble opinion. Sorry!!

[Nrithya · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this one, the crime is already committed when the story begins. The person responsible for the crime is also known. The story is about how the villain finally gets what he deserves. Like one of the detectives says in the novel, "This isn't even a whodunit. This is a what-the-hell?".

Set in 1990, a family goes through the tragedy of losing the first daughter (kidnapping) and later, the father (suicide). The narration is a bit disturbing as it follows a broken family (both literally and figuratively) where the younger daughter is trying to keep it together and live a normal life and the mother continues to obsess over the loss of the first daughter and keeps working on finding ways to make the culprit pay for what he has done to her family. You can feel the pain as you read about what goes on in the minds of the mother and the younger daughter. The culprit here is a very nasty and sick pervert who, for lack of conclusive evidence, has escaped the claws of the law for many years. The story moves at a reasonably brisk pace. The climax is a bit long-drawn and over-dramatic but all-in-all, another easy, engaging, quick read.

My second Tami Hoag novel. This is book #3 in the Oak Knoll Series. Unlike me who first read book #2, I would suggest that you read the series in the right order so as to get introduced to the characters, their lives and the crime stories in the right sequence.

"If you are going through hell, keep going" - Churchill's immortal words make an appearance!

[Giota]

Μη φοβηθείτε να βαδίσετε «στον πιο σκοτεινό δρόμο…»
Οι εκδόσεις Bell έφεραν στο δρόμο μας το βιβλίο της Tami Hoag «Στον πιο σκοτεινό δρόμο»
Βρισκόμαστε στη δεκαετία του ’90, όπου και η η Λόρεν είχε την τέλεια οικογένεια, τον τέλειο σύζυγο, τα τέλεια παιδιά, την τέλεια ζωή στο τέλειο σπίτι, ό,τι δηλαδή χρειάζεται ως «μαγιά» για ένα θρίλερ. Η τελειότητα θα παρέλθει ανεπιστρεπτί με την εξαφάνιση της 16χρονης κόρης της οικογένειας. Έπειτα από τέσσερα χρόνια και με την απώλεια του πατέρα, που όπως δείχνουν όλα δεν άντεξε και αυτοκτόνησε, η Λόρεν με τη μικρή κόρη μετακομίζουν σε άλλη πολιτεία για να κάνουν επιτέλους ένα νέο ξεκίνημα. Στη νέα πόλη μετακομίζει και ο κύριος ύποπτος της Λόρεν, ο οποίος φαίνεται έτοιμος να διαπράξει και νέα απαγωγή…
Κλειστοφοβικό, σε αρκετά σημεία νιώθεις έκθετος σε απειλή, το βιβλίο διαβάζεται αδιάκοπα, με τον τρόμο να επισκέπτεται συχνά τον αναγνώστη. Ευφυέστατη η εξέλιξη της υπόθεσης, αν και το τέλος θα μπορούσε να πει κανείς πως ήταν αρκετά προβλέψιμο.
«Αν περπατάς στην κόλαση, συνέχισε να προχωράς…»

http://www.clevernews.gr/mi-fovithite...

[Hannah Polley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about a mother who’s 16 year old daughter disappeared 4 years ago and who’s husband killed himself 2 years ago. Lauren is trying to rebuild a life with her youngest daughter (or is she?), who is now also about to turn 16.

As we go deeper into the story, we find out that Lauren is the one stalking the man that she suspects took her daughter.

Although it is obvious that Lauren has the right man, I didn’t see the twist coming and I thought it was a suitably dramatic ending.

I would have liked a nice ending for Leslie and thought maybe they had been holding her somewhere all this time but at least the story had closure.

I also wanted Mendez to get with Lauren but it seems like he’s going to get with Tanner.

I see that this is the 3rd in a series so I will definitely look out for the other books.

[Charlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was glad to be back in the reading world of Oak Knoll. The author writes well, the story is heart wrenching, and there are a few surprises and twists.

I was able to guess one of the twists, but it was pretty far into the story that I realized what was going on.

The young girls and their senses of loss, of well-being, were ones I wanted to see become whole again.

If there are more Oak Knoll stories, I will find them!