Going Dark

Thorn Mystery #13

by James W. Hall

The New York Times Book Review calls Edgar Award–winner James W. Hall a "master of suspense" and this new high-stakes thriller Going Dark shows why as Thorn embarks on a mission to save his newfound son


Earth Liberation Front, known as ELF, is a loosely knit organization comprised of environmental activists scattered around the country. These extremists take a "by any means necessary" approach to defending the planet. In the last decade ELF has been responsible for close to a hundred million dollars in damage mainly through arson. The FBI ranks them, along with other eco-radicals, as the number one homegrown terrorist threat.
Flynn Moss, Thorn’s newly discovered son, has naively fallen in with an ELF cell in Miami which has its sights on Turkey Point, the largest nuclear power plant in the state. This ELF group has concocted a non-violent plan to shut the nuke plant down—nothing more than a huge publicity stunt to call attention to the dangers of nuclear power. But unbeknownst to some in the group, there are other members with a far more violent scheme in mind—to cause a radioactive catastrophe rivaling Chernobyl or Fukushima.
With a growing sense of dread about the group’s true intentions, Flynn summons Thorn to help him escape from Prince Key, the remote island off the shores of Miami where the ELF group is camped. Unable to refuse this son he barely knows, Thorn heads off to Prince Key and quickly reaches a frightening realization. There is only one way to save his son’s life. He must join with the eco-terrorists and help them complete their deadly mission.

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

294 pages, Hardcover

First published December 3, 2013

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

James W. Hall is an Edgar and Shamus Award-winning author whose books have been translated into a dozen languages. He has written twenty-one novels, four books of poetry, two collections of short stories, and two works of non-fiction. He also won a John D. MacDonald Award for Excellence in Florida Fiction, presented by the JDM Bibliophile.

He has a master’s degree in creative writing from Johns Hopkins University and a doctorate in literature from the University of Utah. He was a professor of literature and creative writing at Florida International University for 40 years where he taught such writers as Vicky Hendricks, Christine Kling, Barbara Parker and Dennis Lehane.

Reviews

[Matt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Living in the Keys, I really like Halls local inclusions. I have been to the places he writes about, often and that’s cool. Big Thorn fan and Sugarman as well but the crazy ELF whackos and Thorns son not so much. Nice read, but Hall is getting too far away from the Keys cool that is Thorn, and what made Thorn, well- Thorn.

[Cathy DuPont · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thorn, oh Thorn, wherefore art thou?

Oh, yeah, I admit, I’ve been hooked on Thorn for years, well since he was 20 years old more or less. I’ve followed his family life or lack thereof, his simple lifestyle in the upper Keys, his adventures, his lovelife, friendship with Sugarman then, more recently, his discovery of twins he never knew existed. (That’s not a spoiler since it’s on the back cover of that book.)

In one of the more recent books, the last couple of years anyway, Thorn spent an ungodly portion of the book in a deep hole. Needless to say there was little happening in his life in that book other than complaining to himself about his predicament of being in the hole, how he got in the hole, what was going on outside the hole and how was he getting out of the hole.

In Going Dark Thorn played second fiddle to Frank Sheffield which is fine except the book was supposed to be about Thorn, I thought, not Frank. Must say though, that Frank Sheffield is a character I wouldn’t mind reading more about perhaps his earlier life since he was close to retirement in law enforcement in this book.

When I see a book with Hall’s name on it in the used book store, I simply pass it up since I’ve read everything he’s written including his book on poetry. How much more of a devoted fan can I be?

James W. Hall is my idol. He lives in South Florida (caps on south since I think of it as the 51st state in the U. S.), he’s taught creative writing at Florida International University (FIU) in Miami and some of his past students are nationally known. Two who come to mind are writers Vicki Hendricks and Christine Kling. He’s now listed as a lecturer at FIU. (Daydreaming only…but I wish I could have been a student of his. Maybe in another life.)

Looking for information on students other than the two mentioned, I came across this question from an interview on Bookbrowse

Q What is the most romantic book you've ever read? The scariest? The funniest?
A: The scariest is Silence of the Lambs. The most romantic is Lawrence Durrell's Alexandrian Quartet. The funniest? Oddly, I find Robert Parker's Spencer to be very funny. I love good banter, and that great self-deprecating tough guy humor of Hawk and Spencer together. Robert Crais can always be quite funny and Laurence Shames can too.

JWH mentioned three writers who I’ve read. Both Crais and Shames, I’ve read everything they’ve written and still working on Parker’s Spenser. With 43 books in that series, it will take a while longer. No wonder I feel a kindred spirit in JWH, we both love the same kind of humor which is funny.

[Jennifer Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I fell in love with James W. Hall's Thorn series way back in high school, and revisiting them only reminds me why. The way he mixes suspense and page-turning action with the writing of Florida--in all its weird, natural beauty and chaos--hooks me every time, and this book is no different. It's not my favorite of the series--the end feels a little rushed, and there are moments where I desperately want either more or less--but considering how high a bar some of the books in this series set, there are bound to be a few which are fantastic, but not quite AS fantastic. I'd still recommend it whole-heartedly, though not as a start to the series. Start closer to the beginning, and you'll do yourself a favor.

[Zora · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hall is the best mystery/thriller writer you've likely not read (based on the low number of reviews here, apparently too few people do read him). This was not my favorite of the Thorn series, but as always, the prose is better than 98% of that you will find in most "genre" fiction. Too many young, hot women in the novel wanting to have sex with old, gray men made me go with 3 stars rather than 4.

[Larry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thorn's 14th adventure puts him into the orbit of some dangerous people, as usual. In pursuit of his dangerously naive son, Thorn is caught between a group of eco-warriers out to destroy a nuclear power plant, the fairly loony head of plant security, an incredibly ambitious federal agent, and a pretty honest FBI agent. Thorn, the ultimate swamp-based loner, never learns. Obligations to a friend from the past and to his son override his short-term judgment. It all comes together in a satisfyingly boggy armageddon, and his pal, Sugarman, plays a role.

James W. Hall is the godfather of Florida noir in terms of length of writing service, number of grotesques created, and darkness of vision.

[Jodi · Rating 1 out of 5]

Didn't finish. Tried several times to get into the book, but couldn't. I'm sure the read is perfect for some, just not for me.


Disclaimer: An ARC of this book was given to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

[Dan Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Earth Liberation Front, known as ELF, is a loosely knit organization comprised of environmental activists scattered around the country. These extremists take a "by any means necessary" approach to defending the planet. In the last decade ELF has been responsible for close to a hundred million dollars in damage mainly through arson. The FBI ranks them, along with other eco-radicals, as the number one homegrown terrorist threat.
Flynn Moss, Thorn’s newly discovered son, has naively fallen in with an ELF cell in Miami which has its sights on Turkey Point, the largest nuclear power plant in the state. This ELF group has concocted a non-violent plan to shut the nuke plant down—nothing more than a huge publicity stunt to call attention to the dangers of nuclear power. But unbeknownst to some in the group, there are other members with a far more violent scheme in mind—to cause a radioactive catastrophe rivaling Chernobyl or Fukushima.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

In exploring the unexpected death of a young biologist who he helped raise a tiny bit, Thorn comes across signs that his son Flynn may be in trouble. His investigation lands him kidnapped by ecoterrorists. Thorn is left to try to foil their plot to end a nuclear power plant from inside the group. Thorn is a great character and Hall's love for what's left of Florida's wilderness is evident. The fact that a law enforcement agent and the plant head of security colluded with the terrorists (so they could double cross them, save the day, and get promoted) strained credibility. This series has always had a dark, and sometimes choppy, edge to it. Thorn's relation with his granddaughter's mother (that young biologist) had more chop than usual.

[Carol McDonald · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had somehow lost track of the Thorn series for years (moving, health) and was thrilled to get Thorn back on my reading list!!

I lived in Miami for 50 years, so the areas that Thorn and Sheffield work and live in are familiar to me. Turkey Point was always in the background of my life, so it was interesting to read about the planned attack on the plant from ELF.

The juxtaposition of the plant’s looming presence with the description of the Keys wildlife, waters, and people was fascinating.

Hall has always been a terrific writer on the Keys. You can feel the heat, smell the flowers, and see the people who live there.

There are other authors who try to get South Florida’s atmosphere right, nobody does it as well as Hall.

[False · Rating 2 out of 5]

Another Hall book, focusing on the environment destruction, bit by bit, of Florida. It's a common theme he returns to--that and his protagonist Thorn, always throwing himself in front of the nuclear bomb or flame thrower. It grows weary. I have one more to read and then I'm caught up and can move on to something else. You can warn an author away from clichés and formula, but if the books prove financially successful and everyone is happy, I will understand the reluctance to let it go. People die, people lose limbs, people lose their hearts.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve been reading JWH for years, probably since pretty close his first publication date. This one was just as gritty as the rest, so I enjoyed it. Curiosity: did anybody else notice that the Navajo twins are named Chee? That’s not a common Navajo name and Tony Hillerman’s main character is Jim Chee, so I’m believing that JWH is giving homage to Tony Hillerman, another of the great mystery writers! 😊

[Rhonda · Rating 2 out of 5]

I like Thorn, but this one went back and forth between massively boring, and ridiculously far-fetched. I’ll read more Thorn one of these days, but this one about did me in. Thorn helped a girl when she was young. When he hears about her suspicious, he suddenly gets hooked up with ecoterrorists who want to shut down a nuclear plant.

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

Only one book left in the series...do I read it now or wait a while?? Thank you Alex Ironside for introducing me to this author and series. I think I will wait and read the next one later. Sorry we didn't get to discuss more of these books together.

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The adventure continues this time with his son! Enjoy

[Gene Rathgeber · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too slow

Not what I expect from something with thorn and Sugerman invo!bed in. I have become a fan pathogens but this book was waswork to finish

[Kelsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is half mystery-thriller, half nature guide to southern Florida.

Going Dark reintroduces snarky recluse Thorn and sharp, near-retirement FBI agent Frank Sheffield, both of whom have appeared in Hall’s other books. They operate mostly independently, but both are sarcastic and worth rooting for as they fiercely go after what they want. Thorn wants his privacy, but more importantly he wants to protect his son, who gets mixed up with environmental “terrorists”. Sheffield initially wants to solve a mysterious murder-by-crocodile but soon gets sucked into preventing an environmentalist attack on the Turkey Point nuclear plant in southern Florida.

I thought Hall did a fantastic job developing the mystery. Some thrillers are just an excuse for PIs to shoot snarling men, screw gorgeous women, and make witty commentary. Don’t get me wrong: all three of those things exist here. But Hall expertly unrolls Thorn’s and Sheffield’s story lines strand by strand and then weaves them seamlessly at the end. Attacking a nuclear plant is not a new idea, but it never seemed stale to me in this book. All the characters have clear motivations, and their frequently conflicting goals and double-crossing upped the tension. A few characters got short-changed (Leslie, Sugar, etc.) in favor of our duo, but this was a minor qualm.

Hall also provides a free tour of Florida. He continually made references to plants, animals, and geography that really made you feel like you were standing in the Everglades. The reason I picked up this book is I’ve been to Turkey Point for work, so it was interesting to learn more about the area. Sometimes Hall would spend too much time on the specific variety of grass growing on the motel lawn, but again, minor complaint.

A caveat: this is my first introduction to the Thorn Mysteries, so I have a skewed view. I thought it was entertaining, but it has one of the lower ratings of the series. This makes me very curious about the other books. While I recommend Going Dark, it might be better to start at the beginning (Under Cover of Daylight) or choose one of the higher rated ones (Blackwater Sound or Red Sky at Night).

Finally, I highly recommend the audiobook. The narrator was okay; Thorn’s and Sheffield’s voices were too similar, but he did a good job with accents, particularly the Chee brothers. The pacing and storytelling are really what made it. This was a very gripping novel for my hour-long commute. Word of warning: there are a few moments of violence that made me cringe and wish I wasn’t hurtling 65 mph down the highway.

[John McKenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mysterious Book Report No. 148
by John Dwaine McKenna
My old friend Caywood was opposed to modern technology. He hated microwave ovens and cell phones, but most of all he hated computers. He’d say, only half joking, “Computers are the work of the Devil, and when we’re totally dependent on ‘em . . . that damned old Devil’s gonna shut off all the electricity. You just see how effed-up everything gets then.” I laughed and treated it as a joke when he said that back in 2001. Caywood passed in 2004, a victim of ALS, or Lou Gherig’s disease, but his comment has only gotten more prescient over the years. We would all be screwed without electricity. The world as we know it would grind to an instant halt without the energy we all expect whenever we flip a light switch.
Going Dark, (Minotaur Books, $25.99, 295 pages, ISBN 978-1-250-00500-7) by James W Hall is about such an event: eco-terrorists are plotting to take out the Turkey Point Nuclear Power Station in south Florida. All of Miami and the southern one-third of the state will be in the dark if the members of the Earth Liberation Front, ELF for short, have their way. ELF is ranked by the FBI as the number one domestic terror group in the US, responsible for one hundred million dollars of property damage in the last decade, mostly by arson. In the novel, a new radical ELF cell has gathered on an island in BiscayanBay. Their plan is to shut down the Turkey Point Power Plant for a few hours in a huge, non-violent publicity stunt, exposing the public to the inherent dangers of nuclear power. Unknown to the altruistic leaders of the cell, two members of their group are planning a far more deadly event . . . one that could leave the area a wasteland. Into this diabolic scenario, a serial protagonist known only by the name Thorn is forced to join the group in order to try and save his naive son Flynn Moss who’s innocently mixed up with a bad crowd. As the clock winds down to a nuclear disaster, Thorn works to thwart the plan to save his son before FBI and Homeland Security close in. Great summertime reading for thriller and doomsday fans of all ages!
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[Gloria Feit · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is the latest in the series whose protagonist is Daniel Oliver Thorn, “the man from Key Largo” known simply as Thorn, “a loner by choice,” whose well-deserved reputation is that of someone “going off the rails at warp speed.” (Although it should be noted that this time out he’s probably the most stable person in the book.) The supporting characters returning here are all memorable: Laurence Sugarman, known to all as “Sugar,” a private detective and former deputy sheriff with a Norwegian mother and Rastafarian dad and an “outsider by blood” and Thorn’s lifelong friend; April Moss, the journalist he met many years ago and with whom he had a very brief, but very intense, history, also known as a one-night stand, making a brief appearance, as well as the son who was a product of that encounter, Flynn Moss, who Thorn barely knew and hadn’t seen for over a year.

When Cameron Prince, a huge man Thorn knows only by reputation, is found walking around his property one morning, but is brushed off by the man after he refuses to say who he is or why he’s there, Thorn of course does not let it go at that. After he tracks the man down, he discovers that Flynn is involved with Prince and with his group, the local branch of the Earth Liberation Front (“ELF”), which has so far caused millions of dollars in damage, mainly through arson.

This entry in the series introduces (I think for the first time, though I’m not certain) Frank Sheffield, an FBI agent for over 30 years and for the last dozen Special Agent in Charge of the Miami field office, now nearing 60. The protagonists’ p.o.v. are juxtaposed from Thorn to Sheffield, with the latter on a mission to discover ELF’s next planned target, and Thorn getting involved with the group in order to protect his naïve young son. Envisioned is the possibility of a local catastrophe such as Chernobyl or Fukushima when it appears that that target is a nearby Florida nuclear power plant. Suddenly, nearly half way through the book, things take a sharp and unexpected turn. And everything steps up a notch (or two), building up to a rip-roaring denouement. Hall has been called a master of Florida Noir, a reputation only enhanced by this newest entry in the series, which is highly recommended.

[Ed · Rating 4 out of 5]

#13 in the Thorn series. Thorn would prefer to life as a loner, tying bonefish flies to make a subsistence living on Key Largo, FL. However, circumstances seem to arise that force Thorn from his torpor and cause him to don his knight errant armor and sally forth to right a wrong. Hall is one of a number of authors (e.g. John D. MacDonald, Carl Hiaasen) who find wrongs to right in Florida, often concerning the environment and/or venal politicians, in numbers seemingly disproportionate to other states. Glynn Marsh Alam's Luanne Fogarty, Christine Kling's Seychelle Sullivan, Paul Levine's Jake Lassiter, Ed McBain's Matthew Hope, Bob Morris' Zack Chasteen, Norman Geoffrey's Morgan Hunt, Elaine Viets' Helen Hawthorne, and Randy Wayne White's Doc Ford have had occasion to comment and/or act on these issues. Thorn is probably the darkest of the current batch, but he is eminently readable.

Thorn series - Thorn, who lives in the undeveloped backwoods of Key Largo and loathes the kind of hyperdevelopment that's ruining Florida, is roused from his isolation to extricate his grown son, Flynn Moss, whose existence he only recently became aware of ( 2011's Dead Last), from the Earth Liberation Front, a group of ecological terrorists who are planning to shut down a nearby atomic power plant. Thorn actually is sympathetic with ELF's goals-but he doesn't trust them. Meanwhile, FBI agent Frank Sheffield begins uncovering a plot to create a nuclear disaster that could annihilate Miami, while a beautiful female Homeland Security agent and a cocksure psycho who likes to play with electricity are working their own schemes.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two years ago, I would have rated this 4 stars. The latest Thorn book is solidly good for the series, not one of the best, but is entertaining. The reason I only rate it three is a result of my changing tastes as a reader. I do like having my emotions played with by a good writer, and there's some of that here, but I also like to have something thematic or profound to think about either during the read or afterward, and that's not the case here. And it's not like there's a lack of opportunity. You have a violently activist group that will use any measure to achieve its goal in saving the environment. The group in question is never painted in such a way as to be anything other than silly or villainized (apparently spell-check doesn't think that's a word). The characters in this group are mostly shallow and their motivation seems so flimsy. Their goal in the book is to cause an accident at a south Florida nuclear plant, one that would be a catastrophe on a scale to shut down all other nuclear power plants. Only passing information is given as to why nuclear power is either good or bad. The bad guys think it's bad, but to the reader, the bad guys are nuts. Once the job begins, nothing goes as planned, and characters go from extremely motivated to seeing themselves as in the wrong. It's shallow, lame character development. In terms of action and suspense, this book delivers, but in the end was like a great tasting junk snack, where my taste buds are satisfied but my body would love some more nutrition.

[MisterLiberry Head]

A “Join or Die” scenario faces Thorn when he barges into an imminent act of eco-terrorism planned by a flakey and increasingly violent group called the Earth Liberation Front (ELF). Thorn, a near-hermit fly-tier and occasional vigilante, has needed a year to re-grow his “familiar shell of seclusion” (p15) after the death of his wife, Rusty, and the surprise discovery in Thorn #12 that he is the father of adult twin sons. Suddenly invested in the well-being of the surviving twin, Flynn Moss – a TV actor recruited into ELF – Thorn has to balance his belated paternal duties against the safety of roughly 10 million fellow Floridians. GOING DARK is well plotted, true to the unpredictable Thorn’s nature, and it includes a truly chilling battle with a python in the wild. I think James W. Hall was wise to split the narrative focus almost evenly in GOING DARK between Thorn and the almost-retired FBI special agent Frank Sheffield: “a smart, savvy guy, grace under devastating pressure” (p255). Sheffield’s law enforcement expertise, world-weary competence and jaded self-confidence are an effective counterpoint to the chaotic, gloomy, violence-prone loner at the center of this series.

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Thorn series has always been a favorite of mine, with the best book being 'Magic City', and the first effort a close second. I view Thorn as a 'thinking man's Doc Ford', as the writing and character drawing is superior to the popular Randy Wayne White series while having the same Florida ties and adventure quotient. The Thorn series is no copy, however, with 'Under Cover of Daylight' predating the first Doc Ford novel.

This latest adventure, though, seems to borrow too much from the Doc Ford formula, thankfully without the occasional clunky first person internal narrative. Villains are cartoonish, shortcuts are taken on background characters, and the plot stretches credibility. All that being said, Hall is a first-rate writer and the book reads easily and quickly, with a fast-paced conclusion. I recommend this book with the caveat that reading the entire Thorn series will make this book much more satisfying.

[Tom Tischler · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Earth Liberation Front known as ELF is a group of
environmental activists. Their main goal is supposedly
defending the planet and in the last decade have been
responsible for a hundred million dollars in damage
mostly in arson. Flynn Moss the newly discovered son of
Thorn Moss has fallen in with a cell in Miami and they
have their sights set on Turkey Point the largest nuclear
power plant in the state. Their plan is a non violent stunt
to shut down the plant but some members have a far more
violent scheme in mind. I thought that this book was a
little slow moving and could have used some more action.

[Ladiibbug · Rating 1 out of 5]

Mystery

Very disappointing. Read a review in Bookpage Magazine awhile back - eco-terrorists along the lines of Earth First (if they still exist) - and/or environmental activists.

Read to page 72 - I never liked any of the characters, didn't care what happened to them, and wasn't interested enough in the death in the book early on to continue.

What went from "BOR-ING", to "I hate this book", was when Thorn physically attacks his 20 something son in order to get the son to leave a place Thorn doesn't think the son should be.

I don't recommend this to anyone.

Not included in any challenges - did not finish

[River · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have not read any of the other "Thorn" books, nor have I read anything else by James W. Hall. I picked this up out of interest in how the Earth Liberation Front (ELF) was portrayed. I found the idea that the ELF would attack a nuclear power plant and generally behave as a bunch of violent thugs to be pretty inaccurate, as were many of the behaviors attributed to the group. I don't generally read books like this, but I found the characters to be pretty thin, the story unbelievable, and the writing relatively poor. Overall, it was not a good read.

[Adam Rosenbaum · Rating 4 out of 5]

Always good to welcome Thorn back. This time, Thorn, the fierce maverick loner finds himself involved with the terrorist group ELF (Earth Liberation Front). Flynn is Thorn's adult son he never knew, and instrumental in Thorn having to side with the terrorists as they plan to make their point about the hazards of nuclear energy. Ex-FBI Frank Sheffield leads the good guys but Hall makes the vivid bad guys seem just as compelling. Double crosses abound. What comes through is Thorn's and Hall's passion for their beloved wild Florida. Hall is a master story teller.

[Gatorman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another solid entry in the Thorn series from Hall, this time involving nuclear power, an eco-terrorist group and Thorn's semi-relationship with his previously unknown son, Flynn. As usual, the writing is fluid and captures the essence of the Florida coast as well as any author writing today, providing a colorful background for the sinister goings-on. A satisfying ending brings the whole thing to a close. If you are a fan of this series, as I am, you will not be disappointed.

[B.L. Hewitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great regional color sets the stage for this twisted thriller. Great development of characters and a very scary plot. The extensive knowledge of Miami and the Keys lets Hall use them well as a character in it’s own right. Set up a plot with many devious players, all with unknown agenda and you are off and running. The story is fast paced and intriguing, the protagonist believable and the sex, hot. You don’t need to live in Florida for this one to make you sweat.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I 1st met Thorn & Sugarman back in the 90's, then lost track of them. I didn't know Thorn was a father, he didn't either, until his twin boys were grown. So I might have to back track here. Going Dark finds Thorn mixed up in a wild ecoprotest, not of his choosing but in an effort to protect his son, Flynn. The characters he comes up against are pretty crazy, each on their own agenda. Like the other adventures of Thorn in Key Largo, FL it kept me turning the pages.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

In both of the last two books, Thorn has just felt tired and played out to me. That being said I really enjoyed this fast-paced read. The plot and setting more than made up for the slow demise of one of my favorite characters. It so rare in this genre that an author willingly lets go of his bread-winning character so I'm looking forward to seeing how the final chapter in this series wraps things up.