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Grim Measures: A totally gripping psychological thriller with a jaw-dropping twist.
"A gripping and gut-wrenching thrill ride, as we experience the horrors of kidnap and the terse action David has become known for. Get your copy of Grim Measures today!"
– Lt. Colonel Rip Rawlings, New York Times, USA Today and Amazon Bestselling author.
"Brilliant, tense, and filled with action!" ★★★★★
– Jonas Saul, International Bestselling author of The Sarah Roberts Series and The Drowning.
"David Darling’s trademark crisp writing and lightning fast pacing is once again on display in Grim Measures. Even with the reduced word count of a novella, there is enough physical action and psychological intrigue to keep readers engaged to the very end."
– Todd Wilkins, Best Thriller Books.
Months after Ava was taken, the abductor offered John a chance to get his young daughter back, but he must perform a few tasks.
First on the list is killing FBI Special Agent Robert Rothman, lead investigator on the case.
Without his little girl, nothing else matters. So, John Weland clings to hope as he prepares to darken his soul and commit murder.
Grim measures await.
– Lt. Colonel Rip Rawlings, New York Times, USA Today and Amazon Bestselling author.
"Brilliant, tense, and filled with action!" ★★★★★
– Jonas Saul, International Bestselling author of The Sarah Roberts Series and The Drowning.
"David Darling’s trademark crisp writing and lightning fast pacing is once again on display in Grim Measures. Even with the reduced word count of a novella, there is enough physical action and psychological intrigue to keep readers engaged to the very end."
– Todd Wilkins, Best Thriller Books.
Months after Ava was taken, the abductor offered John a chance to get his young daughter back, but he must perform a few tasks.
First on the list is killing FBI Special Agent Robert Rothman, lead investigator on the case.
Without his little girl, nothing else matters. So, John Weland clings to hope as he prepares to darken his soul and commit murder.
Grim measures await.
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Published March 18, 2025
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About the author
David Darling
66 books32 followersThere is more than one author in the database with this name. Not all books on this profile may belong to the same person.
David Darling is a science writer and astronomer. He is the author of many books, including the bestselling Equations of Eternity, and the popular online resource The Worlds of David Darling. He lives in Dundee, Scotland.
David Darling is a science writer and astronomer. He is the author of many books, including the bestselling Equations of Eternity, and the popular online resource The Worlds of David Darling. He lives in Dundee, Scotland.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
April 22, 2025
A nice quick read, took me a little over 2 hours.
Our main character wakes up on night hearing a strange sound of an ice cream truck in the middle of a blizzard. Not even minutes later his daughter is missing.
How far will a parent go to get his daughter back.
I was kept engaged and a well written book that I never got bored of at all. Somewhat expected the ending but not exactly what I had in mind. A good short thriller and a nice thought out plot.
Our main character wakes up on night hearing a strange sound of an ice cream truck in the middle of a blizzard. Not even minutes later his daughter is missing.
How far will a parent go to get his daughter back.
I was kept engaged and a well written book that I never got bored of at all. Somewhat expected the ending but not exactly what I had in mind. A good short thriller and a nice thought out plot.
December 20, 2023
“A Quick-Paced Vigilante Thriller” --- FIVE STARS!
• With a quick-paced plot with no slumping midsection, this tense novella moves along very nicely. John Weiland’s daughter, Ava, is kidnapped, and no one seems to have a clue who’s taken her or where they are. The author uses a real town in Michigan that gives a firm feel to the territory (literally) of what John (the main character) is dealing with in terms of crime, street thugs, and weather. There is a definite grittiness to the story as John approaches his own form of vigilantism.
• The theme of “how far would you go to get your child back” comes up often and plays out with a tactile realness. I think a lot of parents will feel strong empathy and affinity for the main character as they experience his grief, his loss, his not knowing where his daughter is. The book will also make you wonder how far down the vigilante road you’d go, which is what really powers the book along.
• The ending was nicely played. I like how it all came together, literally in the last few pages.
• With a quick-paced plot with no slumping midsection, this tense novella moves along very nicely. John Weiland’s daughter, Ava, is kidnapped, and no one seems to have a clue who’s taken her or where they are. The author uses a real town in Michigan that gives a firm feel to the territory (literally) of what John (the main character) is dealing with in terms of crime, street thugs, and weather. There is a definite grittiness to the story as John approaches his own form of vigilantism.
• The theme of “how far would you go to get your child back” comes up often and plays out with a tactile realness. I think a lot of parents will feel strong empathy and affinity for the main character as they experience his grief, his loss, his not knowing where his daughter is. The book will also make you wonder how far down the vigilante road you’d go, which is what really powers the book along.
• The ending was nicely played. I like how it all came together, literally in the last few pages.
March 7, 2022
Exceptional Read
Grim Measures gives new life to novellas! Traditionally, novellas are found as the finale of a collection of shorter works, David, however, had proven its viability as a stand-alone work—especially when it presented at the caliber of this opus.
The plot is trimmed of any fat, which keeps the reader fully engaged from start to surprise ending. There is great depth to the characters, especially John Weland.
This is the second book from David Darling I’ve read in the past month, and he’s now well established on my must read list. Great job!
Grim Measures gives new life to novellas! Traditionally, novellas are found as the finale of a collection of shorter works, David, however, had proven its viability as a stand-alone work—especially when it presented at the caliber of this opus.
The plot is trimmed of any fat, which keeps the reader fully engaged from start to surprise ending. There is great depth to the characters, especially John Weland.
This is the second book from David Darling I’ve read in the past month, and he’s now well established on my must read list. Great job!
December 1, 2023
When the abductor first called and asked the dad to kill the FBI Agent, my first thought was, "why don't you call the FBI and fake it?" Little did I know, until the end, that was exactly what he had done. Throughout the whole book I thought he was off on his own and would end up in prison or dead without his daughter.
What a wild ride! A very good book.
What a wild ride! A very good book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 7, 2022
Great Novella
Excellent story and very good characters. I have read several of David Darling’s books and enjoyed them very much. Highly recommend.
Excellent story and very good characters. I have read several of David Darling’s books and enjoyed them very much. Highly recommend.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews