Σκοτεινός Δρόμος

Jessica Shaw #3

by Lisa Gray, Μαρία Παπανδρέου (Translator)

Ένας απομονωμένος αυτοκινητόδρομος καταμεσής στην έρημο –το τέλειο μέρος για να κρύψεις ένα μυστικό.
Έχουν περάσει δύο μήνες από την εξαφάνιση της Λόρι Σίμοντς, μιας νεαρής ζωγράφου από το Λος Άντζελες. Το βαν της βρέθηκε παρατημένο στον ερημικό Αυτοκινητόδρομο Τουεντινάιν Παλμς, χιλιόμετρα μακριά από τους πάντες και τα πάντα. Η έρευνα της αστυνομίας δεν οδηγεί πουθενά και οι γονείς της Λόρι αναθέτουν στην ιδιωτική ερευνήτρια Τζέσικα Σο να ανακαλύψει τι συνέβη.
Η Τζέσικα και ο Ματ Κόνορ, ο συνεργάτης της, μαθαίνουν ότι άλλες δύο γυναίκες έχουν εξαφανιστεί, και τα στοιχεία οδηγούν στον ίδιο αυτοκινητόδρομο. Όταν έρχεται στο φως ένας συνδετικός κρίκος ανάμεσα σ’ αυτές τις γυναίκες και μια παρέα παλιών φίλων από το πανεπιστήμιο, η Τζέσικα είναι σίγουρη ότι πλησιάζουν στην αλήθεια.
Όμως οι γονείς της Λόρι τρομάζουν και αποφασίζουν να διακόψουν την έρευνα της υπόθεσης. Η Τζέσικα αιφνιδιάζεται, αλλά δεν εγκαταλείπει: τρεις γυναίκες έχουν εξαφανιστεί και μπορεί να κινδυνεύουν κι άλλες· δεν μπορεί να τους γυρίσει την πλάτη. Όμως όσο πιο πολύ ψάχνει, τόσο πιο πολύ κινδυνεύει. Θα προλάβει να βρει τους ενόχους πριν τη βρουν αυτοί;

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

336 pages, Paperback

First published November 19, 2020

Reviews

[fleurette · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the idea, but the whole book unfortunately didn't work for me. And it's mostly my fault.

There are some very specific things about books that I don't really like, and sadly two of them appeared in this book. First, I don't like flashbacks. Very often I simply skip them. Here, chapters about the past events made almost half of the book. And although I tried to read them, I had the feeling that they did not bring anything new to the main story, except maybe adding depth. Which is actually good. It just wasn’t up to my alley.

The second thing is narrating from too many points of view. There is Jessica POV and Matt POV, there are three points of view for each of the three victims, there is mysterious Dea POV, and there is a point of view of a man who might be the murderer. Oh, and in the prologue, we have a scene from another POV, which does not come back later. It was too much for me. These two things made it not a book for me.

But like I said, I like the general idea of the plot. The way the murders were related to each other and how they were related to past events. And although I fairly quickly predicted who the murderer was and why they chose these particular victims, it was an enjoyable and quick read.

I also liked the characters, especially Jessica and Matt. I haven't read the previous books in this series, so I don't know their story that well. But they're fine, although Jessica, in my opinion, took unnecessary risks sometimes. Also, I'm not entirely sure about the relationship between Jessica and Matt, it is so unreasonably complicated. But maybe this thread will be developed more in the next books.

Overall, it's a good book that just didn't work for me. But I may read previous books in this series or the next ones one day.

Thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[The Cats’ Mother · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dark Highway is the third book in the well-written Jessica Shaw series, about a prickly but determined PI working cases in small-town Southern California, by Scottish former journalist Lisa Gray. I had read the two previous instalments but you can easily get into this as a stand-alone, as you get all the necessary backstory and it doesn’t spoil the earlier books either. I enjoyed this missing-person case and am liking Jessica more and more as the series progresses.

Lonely and looking for work, Jessica has ignored her better judgement and gone to untrustworthy but attractive fellow PI Matt Connor for a job. A young artist has gone missing in the desert and her anxious parents hire Matt & Jessica to find her. They soon discover that other women have also vanished in the same area - how do these cases connect to the fate of a young bartender thirty years earlier?

This was a smoothly paced mystery with intriguing characters, and a great sense of place, although for me there were too many clues, so that it was obvious what was going on by at least half way through - I prefer the suspense to last for most of the book. I was still glued to the kindle to find out how things would turn out, and definitely liked the unexpected ending. Jessica is tough but compassionate and smart enough to both solve the mystery and get herself out of trouble without her unreliable partner. I’ll happily continue this series to read more of her adventures.

Thanks to NetGalley and Amazon UK for the ARC which allowed me to give an honest review. Trigger warning for rape (mentioned, not described in detail) and violent attempted rape (described.) Dark Highway is published today.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jessica Shaw has taken a job working under Private Investigator Matt Connor so she can qualify for a California P.I. License. Their first case is finding 24-year-old Laurie Simmonds who disappeared two months ago. Her van was found along Twentynine Palms Highway and the police have no leads. Jessica and Matt quickly discover that two other women have disappeared from the same deserted highway in the last two years. As they re-interview the many witnesses in these missing persons cases, Laurie's parents suddenly drop the case. But Jessica isn't ready to give up on the case or on Laurie Simmonds.

The third book in Lisa Gray's Jessica Shaw series is a page turner. With Jessica and Matt looking into three separate missing persons cases, there were a lot of characters to keep track of. I ended taking notes so I could keep them straight in my head. The timeline jumps when telling the missing persons stories got a little confusing for a while. I'm glad the author tells us the date and whose point-of-view we are reading at the beginning of each chapter.

I liked this mystery and did eventually figure it out only a few minutes before Jessica did herself. This was a good addition to the series. My rating: 4.5 Stars.

[Katie Sheridan · Rating 5 out of 5]

“It didn’t matter how many gas stations or motels or bars or people you passed along the way, the loneliest road was usually the one you traveled by yourself.”

•••
Oh. My. Lanta. I LOVED this one so much, I swear this series gets better with each book. I had a few different ideas here. I have to say I narrowed down the suspect in one of my earlier thoughts, abandoned it for a bit, and then started piecing the puzzle together definitively midway through but needed to know just how they all fit together.

Highly recommend this book as a stand-alone if you’re not completely into a series.

[Darlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third book in the Jessica Shaw series, and what an exciting, well written series it is. Jessica is a very likable character, filled with a caring compassion, perfect for her career choice. She’s a PI who searches for missing people, and never gives up on a case until she finds an answer. I truly admire her ability to put clues together in her search for answers. Wow, what an ending to this book.
Thanks, Lisa, for sharing your talent with us. I’m looking forward to book four and getting more insight into Jessica.

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

This is the 3rd book in the Jessica Shaw series. Jessica has teamed up with Connor to solve the mystery of 3 women who have disappeared. Matt Connor is definitely not at the top of my favorite character people - enough said there.

Jessica starts pulling together the pieces of the missing women and the story jumps from her current day investigation to the past where each of the missing women are showcased. It does jump back and forth a little too much for my preference but I understand why it was done. It fleshes out each of the missing women.

I liked how Ms. Gray pulled all the pieces together from the introduction scene, to the missing women, to the families that missed them and the reason behind the crime.

At first I could book the book down, but the further I read the harder it was to put down. This is a solid addition to the series and I look forward to the next book.

Thanks to NetGalley & Amazon Publishing UK for an ARC of this book.

[Ksiazkowy.Swiat · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5 ⭐️
Zdecydowanie najlepszy tom z całej serii.

[8stitches 9lives · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dark Highway is the third instalment in the Private Investigator Jessica Shaw series, set in Los Angeles, California. Jessica specialises in missing persons cases and is currently logging hours towards her California PI license working for Matt Connor’s company MAC Investigations, with whom she has a chemistry with from previous books. The story opens with Nick, Junior, Zee and Dusty driving down the highway in Zee’s Cutlass with a dead woman in the trunk. They stop and Dusty directs his fearful acquaintances to dig a grave and bury the body. Meanwhile, Jessica and Matt hold a meeting with a wealthy new client, Renee Simmonds, the mother of twenty-four-year-old missing Venice artist Laurie Simmonds, who has been missing for two months. Renee informs them that Laurie’s VW campervan was found on the shoulder of a remote and deserted stretch of Twentynine Palms Highway and strangely none of her personal items were inside. Renee feels she has no choice but to hire PIs as the police investigation has stalled. They also know that two other young women, Mallory Wilcox and Amanda Meyers, disappeared from the same area in similar circumstances in cases stretching back three decades.

It doesn't take long before, out of the blue, Laurie’s parents remove MAC from the case. Jessica feels they were getting close to discovering the truth about the three missing girls and isn't about to give up now. This is a compulsive and exciting thriller with a whole lot of action, a believable plot and a cast of engaging characters. I found I wasn't so keen on the sexual tension or romantic attraction between Jessica and Matt as it didn't really add much to the story. That said, I love Jessica as a protagonist as she's a strong, independent woman who knows her own mind, gets results and is nobody's fool. The plot is quite convoluted as it shifts between multiple points of view as well as including flashbacks and although at the beginning it took a little getting used to it, I felt that the transitions were executed pretty seamlessly. There's also a backstory to Jessica that is interesting and is explored more throughout this book. There are ample twists and turns and a great use of red herrings/misdirection with Gray really pulling out all of the stops by ratcheting up the tension towards the end culminating in a spectacular conclusion. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Amazon Publishing for an ARC.

[Elle Marr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chilling as it is thrilling, DARK HIGHWAY had me reading late into the night and feverishly turning the pages. Gray keeps her foot on the gas in this third installment of the Jessica Shaw series, delivering twist after heart-pounding twist in her satisfying conclusion. This is a must-add to your thriller list!

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

Her best so far. Solid, interesting, “fair”!

[Tracie Gutknecht · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, well, well, what a surprise this book turned out to be. It is the 3rd book in the series, but could be read as a stand alone. This was my first Lisa Gray novel and my first book of the Jessica Shaw series, but I definitely want to go back to book one and learn more about Jessica.

Jessica has become a private investigator and is at loose ends. She connects with Matt Connor, owner of MAC Investigations. He gives her a missing persons case - a young woman has disappeared near Joshua Tree and her family is desperate to find her. Jessica's investigation connects to the disappearance of two other young women. What is the commonality? If she can figure that out, she can maybe figure out what happened to all of them.

The story and plotting is very good. I liked learning that Jessica herself was once a missing person - that is apparently the story in book one. The conclusion of the novel is action packed and adrenaline inducing, even if you figure out the "whodunnit" part early. Two things keep me from giving this book 5 stars - the first part is all the POV's and timeline shifts. As a reader, it's hard to connect all these people and dots at first and makes the beginning of the book a little disjointed. The 2nd sour note, for me, came when Jessica is "given" the clue that unravels the whole case. It's clunky to the story.

All in all, this was a really good mystery/detective novel and I am excited to have found a new author and series to pursue.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for my ARC of this book.

[Bre Butler · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5. I really love this series! There’s a couple of things in the last few chapters that I don’t really love how they’re written, but by and large is very well written with an interesting twist.

[Lia Panagiotidou · Rating 4 out of 5]

Εν αντιθέσει με τα προηγούμενα βιβλία της που ήταν ευκολοδιάβαστα αλλά τίποτα το σπουδαίο, το συγκεκριμένο ήταν πολύ ευχάριστη έκπληξη και έκανε τη διαφορά. Πολύ δυνατή ιστορία.

[Victor *You Bow to No One* · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nailed it 😜

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dark Highway by Lisa Gray is filled with non-stop suspense as private investigator Jessica Shaw tracks down answers to a missing person case. This is the third book in the Jessica Shaw series and I could not tear myself away from this story!. The gripping worry of a missing child is enough for the parents of Laurie Simmonds to hire MAC investigations to try to find their daughter.
Matt Connor has just hired Jessica to work with him as she is preparing to get her PI license. They take the case of the missing artist and begin to find more missing women in the area of the Twenty-Nine Palms highway. When the identity of a body is found in a shallow grave, the case takes a huge turn. What is the link between the missing women and the dead body? Jessica discovers it goes back to a previous generation of fraternity brothers and an event in the basement of their campus residence.
I won't post spoilers, but this was a perfect weekend read. The mystery and trail of clues kept me so engrossed in the story I went to sleep with my Kindle in my hands and it fell onto my sleeping dog. We both jumped up and yelped!
Publication Date: November 19, 2020
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book,

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is third in the Jessica Shaw series, and in this one she is working with California PI Connor in order to get the hours to get her California license. They start out on a missing girl case which seems to be linked to some other missing women, but just as they seem to be getting somewhere the girl's parents suddenly want them to back off. By then though, Jessica is committed. The story is told from multiple points of view over an extended period of time, so if you don't like that sort of narrative this may not be the book for you. But, I thought it was well done and found it suspenseful. I had preordered this book, and I'm glad that I did.

[Charlotte (thepennotthesword) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. Lisa Gray is quickly becoming an auto-buy author for me. Her Jessica Shaw series is just incredible, and Dark Highway was no different. Going into this third book, I was a little apprehensive as Bad Memory was such an incredible book and I was worried that Dark Highway would not live up. I was definitely wrong. Dark Highway is my favourite book in the series so far, and I cannot wait to see what happens in Jessica’s story next. I could not rate this any less than 5 stars!

Murder mysteries are one of my top genres to read, but I think it is because of this that I can be quite selective. I often find they are predictable, or the plot just isn’t developed. Dark Highway has all the components of what I consider a phenomenal murder mystery. An inimitable plot, that was suspenseful and plausible, but not predictable. I was sat reading and my family had to put up with all of my theories, many of which were wrong or quickly changed once I read another part of the puzzle!

I remember reading and reviewing Bad Memory, the second book in this series, and saying that it was a spectacularly written novel. I am going to amend my statement. Lisa Gray is a spectacular writer. I say this because Dark Highway was fast-paced and held my attention throughout. The flashbacks and multiple point of views, something that I struggle with when reading, were absolutely fascinating and added to the overall impact of the novel. This is all the result of Lisa Gray and her incredible writing. She takes a stylistic choice that has the potential to be disjointed and detached, and makes it flow seamlessly. I could not speak any higher of a book as I am.

This book, I have no doubt, will be on my list of favourite reads of 2020. I will be recommending this book, and the Jessica Shaw series to anyone and everyone who will listen. If you are searching for a murder mystery series that will completely captivate you, provide an intriguing plot and main character, and have a story that will leave you questioning what is right and wrong, I recommend you pick up Dark Highway, and the rest of the Jessica Shaw series. This book was truly incredible, and I look forward to reading Lisa Gray’s future books.

[Ami · Rating 3 out of 5]

I actually liked the case; I mean, it was rather sad, with what happened in the past and how it was related with the present time. I thought Jessica did well to work things out and connected the dots.

HOWEVER, I didn't like how "busy" the perspectives here. I didn't remember the previous books to be like that; there was Pryce's chapters in addition to Jessica, but in this book, there was Connor, the victims, the villain, and it was too much. This series is called Jessica Show and it didn't have enough Jessica, in my opinion.

And I really, REALLY didn't like how this author trying to develop Jessica and Connor. I mean, make them work or not. Don't just tangle things, and then added such a BIG DRAMA out of it (Connor and Jessica made out, but then it turned out Connor had a fiancée, and Connor actually kissed Jessica AFTER she told him about her cheating boyfriend. I mean, what the fuck, Connor?!)

I am not really happy with that part, so now I'm not exactly looking forward to the next book 😞




The ARC is provided by the publisher via Netgalley for an exchange of fair and honest review. No high rating is required for any ARC received.

[Ka-AR · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bravo, Lisa!

IMHO, the best Jessica Shaw in the series, so far. I suspected Burden was Buddy, before the reveal. The way it plotted out was excellent and unexpected. I did not see the reveal in the Epilogue coming. Great ending! Buddy/Burden wasn't a monster, after all. Except for Dea, the most sympathetic character, Buddy. Lisa, suggestion for a future Jessica Shaw: Jessica tracks down Amanda, Laurie and Mallory because she couldn't let go of what happened to them. Just sayin'!

[Shelly Cook · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just really like Lisa Gray’s writing style. She goes back and forth from past to present, from person to person, so you get the full story of what actually happened. I love that. And I love how she always has several different situations or crimes being investigated. Definitely keeps it from getting boring. This book is full of mystery and suspense and honestly, was actually a little stressful to read. (Be prepared...contains rape scenes.) Good solid read with a good solid ending. The best kind of book.

[Gretchen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the first two books in this series on Kindle half a decade ago, and while I enjoyed them, it wasn’t enough to keep this third book on my TBR. That being said, this ended up being like a buck on Audible, so I decided to give it a whirl. I’m glad I did - I was very captivated by this book!

There were many strands to the mystery, and I was constantly curious as to how they’d intertwine together to finish the book. It wasn’t super fast-paced, but not slow either, with just enough suspense to keep me trying to put the pieces together before the book told me.

You can read this as a stand alone book. It only connects to the previous two stories via the PI who is one of the main characters in each book. The cases do not connect.

[Pattyh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to preview Dark Highway by Lisa Gray. This is a series book with the lead as a young woman, Jess, Private Investigator, and her partner, Matt.
Jess learns about a missing woman who vanished from a highway in her camper. When it is found, the woman is no where to be found.
As Jess and Matt start to look into this missing person case, they learn that others have disappeared from this highway. There seems to be more to this case and many coincidences that cannot be mistaken.
As the plot unfolds, the complicated history and landscape produce a sinister scenerio that starts Jess to wonder if she can solve this case.
Good series.
3 stars.

[itsallaboutbooksandmacarons · Rating 4 out of 5]

My third book. I like this woman. She is a nomad, she is a great detective and has a great intuition. I was waiting to read this book to see what happen with Matt that we met in the first book. They were close to each other but then she left. And now she is back with him, working.

They have to solve the disapearance of a woman and like always we have a connection to the past and some other missing women. They have to solve the mystery to prevent an other death.

[Joscelyne Pruett · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my absolute favorite in the series so far. The pieces of this puzzle come together very slowly, but as they fall together, and the puzzle becomes clear, it’s a crazy ride. The end also has a little plot twist that you don’t see coming. So make sure you read the epilogue.

[Frances Muldoon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definite!y a page turner!!!!!

Excellent!!! Read the book in one sitting !!
can't wait to start reading the 4th book!!!!
Best one thus far. Can't wait to get into the 4 th book!!!!!!

[Yolanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This mystery held my interest and kept me guessing. I loved the setting and felt the plot was fast paced
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book

[Vanessa Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this series of 3 books. Hoping there’s number 4 round the corner

[Katerina Koltsida · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ακόμα ένα ενδιαφέρον αστυνομικό της ταλαντούχας Γκρέι

[Catherine Clapton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing read. I too was conflicted about whether I sympathized with Burden's actions. I loved the end twist. Will definitely read more by Lisa Gray, a wonderful writer.

[J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to both NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for providing me the opportunity to review Lisa Gray’s latest novel, Dark Highway.

Dark Highway is the third installment in the Jessica Shaw series. It is not necessary to read the first two before diving into this one. All the reader needs to know is that Jessica Shaw is a private investigator who handles missing persons cases in Los Angeles, California.

Jessica and her work partner, Matt Connor, have been hired to find a wealthy woman’s 24-year old daughter. During a preliminary interview, the woman reveals that her daughter is not the only woman missing from the community.

The novel alternates between different timelines and perspectives, starting with Jessica and continuing with a new character every other chapter. From the quirky octogenarian and block captain, Mrs. DuBois, to the meticulous stalker and primary suspect himself, Burden, the reader learns more about the missing women and their backstories.

Initially, their connection seems tenuous at best, linked only by the desolate Twentynine Palms Highway. As Jessica and Matt get deeper into the investigation, a patchwork of clues reveals a strong connection: all of the women know someone who attended the since shuttered Palms University.

Just as Jessica is starting to connect the dots, the client fires her and Matt. Ignoring Matt’s command to drop the now unfunded case, Jessica doggedly pursues the answer to what happened to those women. When a stranger breaks into Jessica’s motel room and leaves behind a significant thread of evidence, she knows she is on the right track.

The novel is fast-paced and keeps the reader guessing the entire time, down to the shocking twist in the epilogue. Although there was some odd phrasing and strangely arranged syntax, the overall flow was gripping and I found myself wanting to turn to the next page. I think it helped that she chose to make each of the women’s backstories the bulk of the novel, as opposed to learning about them through straight procedural work done by Jessica or Matt.

Ms. Gray certainly has a knack for telling stories and I am glad I stuck with her series. After the first book left a bad impression, I wasn’t sure whether I could return to her writing, but it has steadily improved with each new novel released. Book three is easily my favorite of the series and I genuinely believe the author has hit her stride. Cannot wait to see what she does with the fourth Jessica Shaw novel.