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Off the Beaten Path Mystery #1
Murder in the Dark
Twelve people arrive at a remote inn to spend the weekend. After dark, the doors and windows are locked, the lights go out, and someone starts murdering the guests. Is the murderer one of the twelve or someone else? Each guest must decide whether he or she should form a bond with any of the other guests, none of whom appear to be a murderer. Those guests, chosen specifically by the murderer, include a doctor, a judge, a private detective, a kindergarten teacher, a firefighter, a mystery author, a librarian, a taxidermist, a real estate agent, an insurance agent, a funeral director, and a computer programmer. Is the murderer one of them, the butler, or the owner, who is blind and confined to a wheelchair? Or did someone else find a way to sneak into the inn?
290 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 23, 2013
110 people are currently reading
714 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
July 23, 2018
The basic storyline was good and enough to keep me reading, but I didn't care for the excessive metaphors which seemed to get worse and worse as the story progressed, and the click bait ending of every single chapter. This book was also in serious need of editing to clean up the numerous typos, unrealistic dialogue, and overall amateurish writing.
December 23, 2019
I received a complimentary Kindle copy of Murder in the Dark (Book 1: Off the Beaten Path Mystery Series by Steve Demaree in an Amazon promotion.
That did not change my opinion for this review I gave this mystery four stars.
"Twelve people arrive at a remote inn to spend the weekend. After dark, the doors and windows are locked, the lights go out, and someone starts murdering the guests. Is the murderer one of the twelve or someone else?"
Link to purchase: http://www.amazon.com/Murder-Dark-Boo...
That did not change my opinion for this review I gave this mystery four stars.
"Twelve people arrive at a remote inn to spend the weekend. After dark, the doors and windows are locked, the lights go out, and someone starts murdering the guests. Is the murderer one of the twelve or someone else?"
Link to purchase: http://www.amazon.com/Murder-Dark-Boo...
November 1, 2015
Another winner by Steve Demaree! This one is complicated with a huge cast of characters. Parts of it I found just slightly spooky and once I had to actually put the book away until daylight hours! I'm not a "thriller" reader so keep that in mind while judging rather or not to read this book.
I, personally, LOVE this author and I will read ANYTHING he writes. His characters are so well developed and each and every book drags you in and doesn't let you go until the last page is read! Steve Demaree is a master of mystery!
Twists and turns are an ever present factor, however, this is the first book I have read where I thought I knew who did it and was actually right in the end. Even I was surprised when that happened!
I'm giving it a 5 star rating and highly recommend it to all mystery/cozy mystery fans and this one has some spine tingling involved as well!
I, personally, LOVE this author and I will read ANYTHING he writes. His characters are so well developed and each and every book drags you in and doesn't let you go until the last page is read! Steve Demaree is a master of mystery!
Twists and turns are an ever present factor, however, this is the first book I have read where I thought I knew who did it and was actually right in the end. Even I was surprised when that happened!
I'm giving it a 5 star rating and highly recommend it to all mystery/cozy mystery fans and this one has some spine tingling involved as well!
June 5, 2014
Stupid
The plot, outrageous.
The action, ridiculous.
The characters, unbelievable and annoying.
The ending, makes you kick yourself in the pants for wasting all that time reading this.
AND, The term "the two young people" was used at least a thousand times!!!!!
The plot, outrageous.
The action, ridiculous.
The characters, unbelievable and annoying.
The ending, makes you kick yourself in the pants for wasting all that time reading this.
AND, The term "the two young people" was used at least a thousand times!!!!!
July 13, 2018
This was a really good murder mystery. I had no idea who the murderer was. 12 people are selected to participate in a survival weekend at a mansion in the wilderness. One of them is a judge, one is a doctor, one is a firefighter, one is a mystery author, one is a kindergarten teacher, one is a librarian, one is a real estate agent, one is an insurance agent, one is a funeral director, one is a private detective, one is a taxidermist, and one is an antisocial computer programmer. The judge and the doctor are the only two who know each other; they are friends. The mystery author who's name is Charlie, makes a romantic connection with the the kindergarten teacher, who's name is Kim. I really liked the dialogue between Charlie and Kim because it was humorous. The owner of the mansion is a man named Mr. Manchester; Mr. Manchester is supposedly blind and confined to a wheelchair. Mr. Manchester has a butler who is not very friendly. Some of the guests believe that the butler might be the murderer. Many of the guests act suspicious, especially the judge, the doctor, and the librarian. Why did the taxidermist's invitation tell him to arrive a day later than everyone else's invitation?
October 18, 2021
I'd forgotten that I'd read this before
but it was so long ago it was almost like reading it cor the first time. While I found small faults w/ the authors mystery series', I found this book & A Smoky Mountain Mystery so much better. I have enjoyed his characters in ALL of his books. The storylines were good as well, but somewhat simplistic in some, which is fine when I want an easy read, one I need put little thought into, while in others he can be quite repetitive & one-track(food)-minded. He has a dry humor that is much like mine, but it seems overused at times, but NOT in the two books I mentioned though. Although I had read this a few years ago, my memory is fading enough that much was just kinda fuzzy, but some of what I thought I remembered didn't happen. I'm so glad I read it again! I can easily give it 5 Stars, 2 Thumbs Up, & a heartfelt recommendation. I look forward to more of Mr. Demaree's mysteries if they are like this one & A Smoky Mountain Mystery!
but it was so long ago it was almost like reading it cor the first time. While I found small faults w/ the authors mystery series', I found this book & A Smoky Mountain Mystery so much better. I have enjoyed his characters in ALL of his books. The storylines were good as well, but somewhat simplistic in some, which is fine when I want an easy read, one I need put little thought into, while in others he can be quite repetitive & one-track(food)-minded. He has a dry humor that is much like mine, but it seems overused at times, but NOT in the two books I mentioned though. Although I had read this a few years ago, my memory is fading enough that much was just kinda fuzzy, but some of what I thought I remembered didn't happen. I'm so glad I read it again! I can easily give it 5 Stars, 2 Thumbs Up, & a heartfelt recommendation. I look forward to more of Mr. Demaree's mysteries if they are like this one & A Smoky Mountain Mystery!
October 20, 2025
EBK-M, Kindle, @ 2013, Read 10/20/2025, Fiction, Mystery
12 supposedly random people are invited to a special weekend at an Inn to play a survivors game. The winner gets an all-expense paid vacation. But strange things start to happen almost immediately, and very quickly the game gets deadly. I had high hopes at the beginning, but turns out, I was not a fan. The editing was a mess, the characters were not developed enough to arouse my interest, didn't even care enough to work to discover the murderer.
I did read the whole book, but would not recommend it to anyone I know!
I give it 2☆'s = Okay -- not terrible, but in my opinion, certainly not worth all the high 5 ratings.
12 supposedly random people are invited to a special weekend at an Inn to play a survivors game. The winner gets an all-expense paid vacation. But strange things start to happen almost immediately, and very quickly the game gets deadly. I had high hopes at the beginning, but turns out, I was not a fan. The editing was a mess, the characters were not developed enough to arouse my interest, didn't even care enough to work to discover the murderer.
I did read the whole book, but would not recommend it to anyone I know!
I give it 2☆'s = Okay -- not terrible, but in my opinion, certainly not worth all the high 5 ratings.
December 30, 2018
This was a fun concept that kept me engaged. Very reminiscent of the movie “Clue”. However, the writing was atrocious, and whoever edited this book should be fired immediately and never allowed to work in publishing again. The ending was a cop out but I love books about people being trapped somewhere and slowly killed off, I love books about big old houses with hidden secrets, I wish all of that could have overcome the awful writing, the clumsy dialogue, and all of the typos.
October 26, 2025
Loved this book
I really like Steve Demaree as a writer and he did not disappoint with this one.
I had no clue during the whole book who the murderer was. The story line kept me on the edge of my seat and I really had to make myself do other things this week but read this book.
If this is the first book you’ve read my Mr. Demaree I highly recommended you read his Dekker Cozy Mystery series and Aylesford Place.
I really like Steve Demaree as a writer and he did not disappoint with this one.
I had no clue during the whole book who the murderer was. The story line kept me on the edge of my seat and I really had to make myself do other things this week but read this book.
If this is the first book you’ve read my Mr. Demaree I highly recommended you read his Dekker Cozy Mystery series and Aylesford Place.
November 30, 2018
Oh wow this book was like a workout for the brain. I constantly felt like I should be getting out a notebook and taking notes on who was who, where they were at any given time, who was still alive and who wasn’t. I was left wondering about who could’ve been responsible until the very last possible moment. I would probably read more by this author.
July 7, 2019
I am not impressed with this book and found it so annoying that I quit reading it in the sixth chapter. There are numerous typos, and the metaphors overwhelm the story. A couple were good, but I found most of them to be annoying and unrelated to the story.
This book may be somebody's "cup of tea", but it certainly isn't mine. I won't even waste my time to finish it.
This book may be somebody's "cup of tea", but it certainly isn't mine. I won't even waste my time to finish it.
February 5, 2021
A great Whodunit!
Twelve people are invited to a survivor weekend at an old house. One by one, people are murdered. The ones that survive band together to.determine the murderer & in the process, things are discovered about the house & the owner. Many funny quips & one liners throughout.
Twelve people are invited to a survivor weekend at an old house. One by one, people are murdered. The ones that survive band together to.determine the murderer & in the process, things are discovered about the house & the owner. Many funny quips & one liners throughout.
October 11, 2021
ITS NOT WHO YOU SUSPECT
This book reminds me of my favorite Dekker murder mystery, (#13) MURDER ON HALLOWEEN, except with less humor and a more sinister plot… It has a lot of different characters and often it was difficult to keep up with the storyline. This is a good novel, but my preference is the Decker Murder Mystery books by the same author.
This book reminds me of my favorite Dekker murder mystery, (#13) MURDER ON HALLOWEEN, except with less humor and a more sinister plot… It has a lot of different characters and often it was difficult to keep up with the storyline. This is a good novel, but my preference is the Decker Murder Mystery books by the same author.
November 10, 2023
A Great Murder Mystery For Middle Schoolers
I liked the book. I enjoy reading stories that are clean and fun. This is a good "who dunnit" for older schoolage students, mmm since it is a clean upbeat man story. I like the author's attention to detail.and character development, although sometimes he gets long winded.
I liked the book. I enjoy reading stories that are clean and fun. This is a good "who dunnit" for older schoolage students, mmm since it is a clean upbeat man story. I like the author's attention to detail.and character development, although sometimes he gets long winded.
June 14, 2017
Great job..
I enjoyed this story of adventure and mystery. The author did a wonderful job of telling his story, Steve put a little humor here and there throughout the tale to make it a bit fun.
I enjoyed this story of adventure and mystery. The author did a wonderful job of telling his story, Steve put a little humor here and there throughout the tale to make it a bit fun.
April 4, 2018
Great book
A great thriller by Steve Demaree. I thoroughly enjoy reading this author who knows h o w to write without gory violence or sex scenes. He gets your attention and holds your attention.
A great thriller by Steve Demaree. I thoroughly enjoy reading this author who knows h o w to write without gory violence or sex scenes. He gets your attention and holds your attention.
August 17, 2020
Great Mystery
This is a good mystery and keeps you guessing all the way. I was very surprised at the ending. I do miss the Dekker series. That was a great series and I wish there were more of them.
This is a good mystery and keeps you guessing all the way. I was very surprised at the ending. I do miss the Dekker series. That was a great series and I wish there were more of them.
August 28, 2021
Fab whodunit
I guessed several killers and never guessed the right one. Excellent. Would recommend to anyone who likes clean mysteries. Kept me guessing through the entire book.
I guessed several killers and never guessed the right one. Excellent. Would recommend to anyone who likes clean mysteries. Kept me guessing through the entire book.
February 2, 2023
I didn't finish it. I put up with the amateurish prose because of the premise of the book sounded intriguing. But I got to 48% and decided that since it was a free book, it wasn't worth it to continue.
March 3, 2023
What an imagination the author has. Many of Steve Demaree’s books make you wonder if he has experienced the adventures he write about. I love that he does a great job of acquainting you of each character. Buckle your seatbelt for this story. It’s another fantastic read.
August 21, 2025
Funny and Tense Mystery
I've read many of Mr Demaree's books and the one thing they all have in common is a sense of humor. I can hear these folks in my mind as easily as I grasp all the subtleties of the mystery. Highly recc9mended for a casual read.
I've read many of Mr Demaree's books and the one thing they all have in common is a sense of humor. I can hear these folks in my mind as easily as I grasp all the subtleties of the mystery. Highly recc9mended for a casual read.
June 16, 2017
Whoow gess no more suspense and fear
The book was terrific.... The one you least except is always the culprit.. Poor the detective though ..I thought he would unfold the mystery
The book was terrific.... The one you least except is always the culprit.. Poor the detective though ..I thought he would unfold the mystery
May 21, 2017
Interesting plot twist and ending. It was too wordy though.
February 2, 2018
My Rating System:
* couldn't finish, ** wouldn't recommend, *** would recommend, **** would read again, ***** have read again.
* couldn't finish, ** wouldn't recommend, *** would recommend, **** would read again, ***** have read again.
June 6, 2018
Good book
You people should just read this book yourselves and write your own review on this novel yourself and I really enjoyed reading this book very much so. Shelley MA
You people should just read this book yourselves and write your own review on this novel yourself and I really enjoyed reading this book very much so. Shelley MA
March 2, 2020
A plodder
Like all Mr. Demaree's books, this one has lots of extraneous food descriptions & asides that do not move the narrative along. It's still a decent mystery.
Like all Mr. Demaree's books, this one has lots of extraneous food descriptions & asides that do not move the narrative along. It's still a decent mystery.
June 20, 2020
I like the Christian through line of this series of books. However they drag slowly at times. The ends are almost always a surprise, which keeps me coming back.
April 1, 2023
A great well written read that I enjoyed.
December 16, 2021
Murder in the Dark
This book was very suspenseful, which I loved. I was not able to guess who did it. However, it was a bit confusing keeping the call characters straight. Overall, a very good read.
This book was very suspenseful, which I loved. I was not able to guess who did it. However, it was a bit confusing keeping the call characters straight. Overall, a very good read.
January 20, 2015
For Full and Detailed review, check http://cynthology.blogspot.com/2015/0...
Murder in the Dark by Steve Demaree takes a page out of the old Agatha Christie tradition. Twelve people from varying backgrounds are invited to spend a Survivor weekend in an isolated house, surviving whatever comes their way in exchange for a host of attractive prizes. Soon it becomes apparent that the Survivor Weekend requires them to survive quite literally. One of them is a murderer and is there to settle some score.
Beginning by giving us a brief introduction to the cast of characters, the author leads us into the third person minds of a few characters. The chapter from the third person viewpoint of the murderer was particularly annoying. In order not to give away the slightest clue about the identity of the killer, the author sought to avoid the use of pronouns completely, and ended up repeating the words, ‘the murderer,’ once too often. The last paragraph in this chapter contains 6-7 references to these words.
The writing sorely needed some tight editing. I found it convoluted, amateurish and tiresome. A lot of the details seemed superfluous even at the outset. They didn’t serve any purpose, other than to achieve the targeted word count. The thing to do should have been to introduce us well to one character, and let them meet the others. The strategy of devoting one chapter each to multiple characters means that there is too much back story, and the Survivor Weekend does not begin until the 17th chapter.
The author does a good job with the conversation. The dialogue is real and lively, and the touch of humour is a relief. He also manages to build the atmosphere well.
I have another grouse with the endless repetition of the cast of names and their professions. It comes at the beginning of the book, and then when all the guests meet at dinner, they introduce themselves in detail. The rest of the book reads Molly Pride, the librarian, did this, and Molly Pride, the librarian, did that.
Then there are some continuity issues. At the end of one chapter, we are told that the funeral director decides to stay in his room. And yet in the very next chapter, he is out in the basement. At one point, Charlie, the novelist, pulls out a plastic bag out of his knapsack and throws a 100 or so marbles down, letting his pursuer fall. Where did the marbles come from? Why weren’t we readers told that he was carrying them? Writing mysteries requires the following of some rules. You cannot pull out random brand new objects out of the bag of Dora the Explorer.
How the murderer manages to commit multiple murders in pitch darkness is beyond me. It is also annoying when multiple chapters end with variations of the very same cliff-hanger – he didn’t expect to see what he saw. Overall, the narrator’s voice is a little too smart-alecky and frivolous for comfort. Somehow I felt that the narrative tone succeeded in undoing whatever good effect the author had attained.
Murder in the Dark by Steve Demaree takes a page out of the old Agatha Christie tradition. Twelve people from varying backgrounds are invited to spend a Survivor weekend in an isolated house, surviving whatever comes their way in exchange for a host of attractive prizes. Soon it becomes apparent that the Survivor Weekend requires them to survive quite literally. One of them is a murderer and is there to settle some score.
Beginning by giving us a brief introduction to the cast of characters, the author leads us into the third person minds of a few characters. The chapter from the third person viewpoint of the murderer was particularly annoying. In order not to give away the slightest clue about the identity of the killer, the author sought to avoid the use of pronouns completely, and ended up repeating the words, ‘the murderer,’ once too often. The last paragraph in this chapter contains 6-7 references to these words.
The writing sorely needed some tight editing. I found it convoluted, amateurish and tiresome. A lot of the details seemed superfluous even at the outset. They didn’t serve any purpose, other than to achieve the targeted word count. The thing to do should have been to introduce us well to one character, and let them meet the others. The strategy of devoting one chapter each to multiple characters means that there is too much back story, and the Survivor Weekend does not begin until the 17th chapter.
The author does a good job with the conversation. The dialogue is real and lively, and the touch of humour is a relief. He also manages to build the atmosphere well.
I have another grouse with the endless repetition of the cast of names and their professions. It comes at the beginning of the book, and then when all the guests meet at dinner, they introduce themselves in detail. The rest of the book reads Molly Pride, the librarian, did this, and Molly Pride, the librarian, did that.
Then there are some continuity issues. At the end of one chapter, we are told that the funeral director decides to stay in his room. And yet in the very next chapter, he is out in the basement. At one point, Charlie, the novelist, pulls out a plastic bag out of his knapsack and throws a 100 or so marbles down, letting his pursuer fall. Where did the marbles come from? Why weren’t we readers told that he was carrying them? Writing mysteries requires the following of some rules. You cannot pull out random brand new objects out of the bag of Dora the Explorer.
How the murderer manages to commit multiple murders in pitch darkness is beyond me. It is also annoying when multiple chapters end with variations of the very same cliff-hanger – he didn’t expect to see what he saw. Overall, the narrator’s voice is a little too smart-alecky and frivolous for comfort. Somehow I felt that the narrative tone succeeded in undoing whatever good effect the author had attained.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews