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Love in a Dark Place
October 2017, north of Boston. The body of a 60-year-old drug addict and former prostitute is pulled from the Shawsheen River. The only person questioned is a former lover from decades before, now an aging English professor at a nearby college. The death is ruled accidental.
August 1984, Atlantic City. Ten casinos are taking in $5 million a day; the Bruno crime family, following a deadly mob war, is in control of the city’s loan-sharking, protection, fight-fixing, high-end prostitution. Among its most prized assets is a 28-year-old, $1,000-a-night escort named Sarah—beautiful and spirited, but deeply guarded, tethered to her mob bosses by an unknowable secret.
Harry Hopper, a local news reporter known for his deep digs into the resort’s darkest corners, comes to know her and is soon obsessed with the shadows she casts, then with Sarah herself. The two become lovers.
But the secrets don’t yield. And the dangers are too great. The years pass. There is an ending. Then a new beginning--but in a very different world.
August 1984, Atlantic City. Ten casinos are taking in $5 million a day; the Bruno crime family, following a deadly mob war, is in control of the city’s loan-sharking, protection, fight-fixing, high-end prostitution. Among its most prized assets is a 28-year-old, $1,000-a-night escort named Sarah—beautiful and spirited, but deeply guarded, tethered to her mob bosses by an unknowable secret.
Harry Hopper, a local news reporter known for his deep digs into the resort’s darkest corners, comes to know her and is soon obsessed with the shadows she casts, then with Sarah herself. The two become lovers.
But the secrets don’t yield. And the dangers are too great. The years pass. There is an ending. Then a new beginning--but in a very different world.
- GenresThriller
Kindle Edition
Published May 13, 2025
25 people are currently reading
3665 people want to read
About the author
Geoffrey Douglas
12 books29 followersGeoffrey Douglas is the author of six books --five of nonfiction and one novel--and more than 100 magazine pieces, many of them widely anthologized. A former reporter, editor, columnist, and adjunct professor of creative writing at the University of Massachusetts, he has been a fellow at the Bread Loaf Writers Conference and a writer-in-residence at several schools and universities.
His most recent work, "Love in a Dark Place" (2025), described by Kirkus Reviews as "a moving, unflinching novel about human depravity and the way love can coexist in its menacing presence," is set in 1980s Atlantic City, where Douglas worked at the time as editor of an investigative weekly.
Other books include two widely-reviewed memoirs -- "Class" (1992) and “The Classmates" (2008) -- as well as "The Game of Their Lives “ (1996), an account of the 1950 U.S. World Cup soccer team and the immigrant men who composed it, adapted as a 2005 movie of the same name. His fifth book, “The Grifter, The Poet, and The Runaway Train: Stories From a Yankee Writer’s Notebook" (2019), is a compilation of his stories in Yankee, written over 20 years.
His most recent work, "Love in a Dark Place" (2025), described by Kirkus Reviews as "a moving, unflinching novel about human depravity and the way love can coexist in its menacing presence," is set in 1980s Atlantic City, where Douglas worked at the time as editor of an investigative weekly.
Other books include two widely-reviewed memoirs -- "Class" (1992) and “The Classmates" (2008) -- as well as "The Game of Their Lives “ (1996), an account of the 1950 U.S. World Cup soccer team and the immigrant men who composed it, adapted as a 2005 movie of the same name. His fifth book, “The Grifter, The Poet, and The Runaway Train: Stories From a Yankee Writer’s Notebook" (2019), is a compilation of his stories in Yankee, written over 20 years.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
October 28, 2025
I won this book in a giveaway. The writing was good but it juat wasn't for me.
July 3, 2025
Book Review: Love in a Dark Place by Geoffrey Douglas
Overview
Geoffrey Douglas’s Love in a Dark Place is a haunting exploration of human resilience and the complexities of love amidst trauma. Known for his poignant nonfiction, Douglas transitions into fiction with a narrative that grips from the first page—a tale of a man reckoning with a past ill-fated love affair shadowed by violence and psychological turmoil. The novel balances raw emotional depth with unflinching honesty, though its heavy themes may unsettle some readers.
Score Breakdown (0-5)
Themes & Depth (4.6/5)
Douglas delves into themes of trauma, redemption, and the coexistence of love and darkness with remarkable nuance. The exploration of how past wounds shape present relationships is particularly compelling, though a few thematic threads could benefit from deeper resolution.
Character Development (4.5/5)
The protagonist’s introspective journey is rendered with visceral authenticity, making his flaws and vulnerabilities deeply relatable. Secondary characters, while well-drawn, occasionally serve more as foils than fully fleshed-out individuals.
Pacing & Structure (4/5)
The nonlinear narrative adds layers to the protagonist’s introspection, though some transitions between past and present feel abrupt. The tension builds steadily, culminating in a climax that is as unsettling as it is inevitable.
Atmosphere & Emotional Impact (4.8/5)
Douglas excels at crafting a claustrophobic, emotionally charged atmosphere. The prose is spare yet evocative, amplifying the novel’s psychological weight. Readers should brace for moments of visceral discomfort.
Originality (4.2/5)
While the trope of revisiting a traumatic past isn’t new, Douglas’s execution—rooted in his nonfiction expertise—lends the story a distinctive rawness. The blend of literary introspection and thriller-like tension sets it apart.
Overall Rating: 4.4/5
A powerful, if harrowing, debut novel that showcases Douglas’s skill at merging emotional truth with narrative urgency. Love in a Dark Place is for readers who appreciate stories where love and darkness intertwine unflinchingly.
Acknowledgments
Thank you to NetGalley and Geoffrey Douglas for providing an advance review copy. This critique reflects my unbiased evaluation.
Note: This review is based on an ARC; minor changes may appear in the final publication.
Overview
Geoffrey Douglas’s Love in a Dark Place is a haunting exploration of human resilience and the complexities of love amidst trauma. Known for his poignant nonfiction, Douglas transitions into fiction with a narrative that grips from the first page—a tale of a man reckoning with a past ill-fated love affair shadowed by violence and psychological turmoil. The novel balances raw emotional depth with unflinching honesty, though its heavy themes may unsettle some readers.
Score Breakdown (0-5)
Themes & Depth (4.6/5)
Douglas delves into themes of trauma, redemption, and the coexistence of love and darkness with remarkable nuance. The exploration of how past wounds shape present relationships is particularly compelling, though a few thematic threads could benefit from deeper resolution.
Character Development (4.5/5)
The protagonist’s introspective journey is rendered with visceral authenticity, making his flaws and vulnerabilities deeply relatable. Secondary characters, while well-drawn, occasionally serve more as foils than fully fleshed-out individuals.
Pacing & Structure (4/5)
The nonlinear narrative adds layers to the protagonist’s introspection, though some transitions between past and present feel abrupt. The tension builds steadily, culminating in a climax that is as unsettling as it is inevitable.
Atmosphere & Emotional Impact (4.8/5)
Douglas excels at crafting a claustrophobic, emotionally charged atmosphere. The prose is spare yet evocative, amplifying the novel’s psychological weight. Readers should brace for moments of visceral discomfort.
Originality (4.2/5)
While the trope of revisiting a traumatic past isn’t new, Douglas’s execution—rooted in his nonfiction expertise—lends the story a distinctive rawness. The blend of literary introspection and thriller-like tension sets it apart.
Overall Rating: 4.4/5
A powerful, if harrowing, debut novel that showcases Douglas’s skill at merging emotional truth with narrative urgency. Love in a Dark Place is for readers who appreciate stories where love and darkness intertwine unflinchingly.
Acknowledgments
Thank you to NetGalley and Geoffrey Douglas for providing an advance review copy. This critique reflects my unbiased evaluation.
Note: This review is based on an ARC; minor changes may appear in the final publication.
September 17, 2025
Love in a Dark Place is a powerful first work of fiction from Geoffrey Douglas — gritty, elegiac, and emotionally raw. Set in the 1980s Atlantic City under the rise of casinos and organized crime, the novel follows Harry Hopper, a reporter with a taste for the city’s darker stories, and Sarah, a high‐priced escort tethered to secrets she barely reveals.
The structure weaves between past and present: we first learn of Sarah’s death in 2017 (her body pulled from the Shawsheen River), and then go back to track Harry and Sarah’s elusive and fraught relationship decades earlier.
Through flashbacks, Sarah’s guarded past, her entwinement with dangerous figures, and Harry’s obsession with understanding her are slowly revealed. The narrative isn’t always comfortable — there are moments of cruelty, despair, and moral ambiguity — but that’s part of what makes it linger.
What works especially well:
Atmosphere & Setting. Douglas draws Atlantic City in its height of glamour and vice — the casinos, the mob’s reach, the shameless neon, and the shadows behind it all. The setting becomes almost a character, one that influences and amplifies everything Sarah and Harry do.
Character Complexity. Sarah is not a saint and not a victim (though she’s treated as both at times), and Harry’s not a hero. The moral greys — of love, regret, secrecy — are what make the story compelling. Harry’s love feels flawed, but it feels real.
Themes of Loss and Regret. Aging, change, the cost of secrets — these motifs echo throughout. The book asks: can love coexist with ruin? It doesn’t always give comforting answers.
What didn’t fully land for me:
At times, Sarah felt a bit “fated” — the doomed beauty trope shows up too often, suggesting her tragedy was inevitable rather than shaped by the choices around her. This undercuts, in some scenes, her agency.
Some of the pacing in the flashbacks drags, especially when the novel indulges in atmospheric detail. Beautiful, yes — but occasionally rupturing the emotional momentum.
Overall, Love in a Dark Place is a somber, haunting read. It’s not an easy story, but it’s one that rewards you with honest, painful reflection. If you like character-driven fiction that doesn’t shy away from darkness — especially where love, regret, and moral ambiguity intersect — this is well worth your time. #GoodreadsGiveaways
The structure weaves between past and present: we first learn of Sarah’s death in 2017 (her body pulled from the Shawsheen River), and then go back to track Harry and Sarah’s elusive and fraught relationship decades earlier.
Through flashbacks, Sarah’s guarded past, her entwinement with dangerous figures, and Harry’s obsession with understanding her are slowly revealed. The narrative isn’t always comfortable — there are moments of cruelty, despair, and moral ambiguity — but that’s part of what makes it linger.
What works especially well:
Atmosphere & Setting. Douglas draws Atlantic City in its height of glamour and vice — the casinos, the mob’s reach, the shameless neon, and the shadows behind it all. The setting becomes almost a character, one that influences and amplifies everything Sarah and Harry do.
Character Complexity. Sarah is not a saint and not a victim (though she’s treated as both at times), and Harry’s not a hero. The moral greys — of love, regret, secrecy — are what make the story compelling. Harry’s love feels flawed, but it feels real.
Themes of Loss and Regret. Aging, change, the cost of secrets — these motifs echo throughout. The book asks: can love coexist with ruin? It doesn’t always give comforting answers.
What didn’t fully land for me:
At times, Sarah felt a bit “fated” — the doomed beauty trope shows up too often, suggesting her tragedy was inevitable rather than shaped by the choices around her. This undercuts, in some scenes, her agency.
Some of the pacing in the flashbacks drags, especially when the novel indulges in atmospheric detail. Beautiful, yes — but occasionally rupturing the emotional momentum.
Overall, Love in a Dark Place is a somber, haunting read. It’s not an easy story, but it’s one that rewards you with honest, painful reflection. If you like character-driven fiction that doesn’t shy away from darkness — especially where love, regret, and moral ambiguity intersect — this is well worth your time. #GoodreadsGiveaways
July 6, 2025
Well shoot i picked up love in a dark place by that feller geoffrey douglas figurin it was gon be one them mushy books but naw buddy this one hit different it got grit and ghosts and them dark kinda secrets that make ya squint at folks funny
Starts out with a body in a river up in yankee land boston or some such a old gal used to be a hooker and had a rough go turns up dead and they say it was a accident but it dont feel like no accident not the way its told the feller they talk to is some old professor that used to know her real personal like back in the day
Then it jumps back to the 80s when everything was big hair and bad choices and we in atlantic city where the mob runs the show tighter than mama's sunday corset theres this gal sarah she fine as frog hair and expensive too thousand bucks a night they say and she aint just sellin company shes got a story that nobody can get at not even this nosy newsman harry hopper who just cant leave her be he diggin and diggin till he fall in love with her like a fool in the rain
They get close real close but she keepin things locked up tight like a truck toolbox with the key lost and harry he knows hes messin with fire mob fire and sure as shootin it gets dangerous and sad and complicated like grandmas meatloaf recipe
The way the story jumps through time it kinda messes with your head but in a good way like a puzzle with a few pieces missin but you still get the picture sorta it aint pretty but its real and it sticks with ya like grease on your fingers
i aint no college boy but this book it hit me in the guts and made me think bout the kinda love that dont get no happy endin just the kind that haunts ya like a old ghost dog cryin on the porch
i give it 4 catfish outta 5
Starts out with a body in a river up in yankee land boston or some such a old gal used to be a hooker and had a rough go turns up dead and they say it was a accident but it dont feel like no accident not the way its told the feller they talk to is some old professor that used to know her real personal like back in the day
Then it jumps back to the 80s when everything was big hair and bad choices and we in atlantic city where the mob runs the show tighter than mama's sunday corset theres this gal sarah she fine as frog hair and expensive too thousand bucks a night they say and she aint just sellin company shes got a story that nobody can get at not even this nosy newsman harry hopper who just cant leave her be he diggin and diggin till he fall in love with her like a fool in the rain
They get close real close but she keepin things locked up tight like a truck toolbox with the key lost and harry he knows hes messin with fire mob fire and sure as shootin it gets dangerous and sad and complicated like grandmas meatloaf recipe
The way the story jumps through time it kinda messes with your head but in a good way like a puzzle with a few pieces missin but you still get the picture sorta it aint pretty but its real and it sticks with ya like grease on your fingers
i aint no college boy but this book it hit me in the guts and made me think bout the kinda love that dont get no happy endin just the kind that haunts ya like a old ghost dog cryin on the porch
i give it 4 catfish outta 5
December 20, 2025
Love in a Dark Place is a haunting, atmospheric thriller that lingers long after its final page, weaving together obsession, secrecy, and the long shadows cast by choices made decades earlier. Geoffrey Douglas deftly moves between two timelines gritty Atlantic City in the mid-1980s and a quiet New England town in 2017 creating a narrative rich with moral tension and emotional complexity.
At the heart of the novel is Sarah, a woman both powerful and profoundly constrained, navigating a world ruled by organized crime, wealth, and violence. Her relationship with journalist Harry Hopper is rendered with unsettling intimacy, capturing how desire can blur into fixation and how love, when entangled with secrecy, becomes dangerous. Douglas’s portrayal of Atlantic City at the height of mob control is vivid and unsentimental, grounding the story in a chillingly believable reality.
What elevates this novel beyond a standard crime thriller is its restraint. The suspense builds slowly, shaped by memory, regret, and unanswered questions rather than constant action. The later timeline reframes the past with devastating clarity, forcing readers to reconsider guilt, responsibility, and the cost of survival. Love in a Dark Place is a sophisticated, emotionally resonant thriller that rewards patient readers and stands out for its psychological depth and noir-inflected storytelling.
At the heart of the novel is Sarah, a woman both powerful and profoundly constrained, navigating a world ruled by organized crime, wealth, and violence. Her relationship with journalist Harry Hopper is rendered with unsettling intimacy, capturing how desire can blur into fixation and how love, when entangled with secrecy, becomes dangerous. Douglas’s portrayal of Atlantic City at the height of mob control is vivid and unsentimental, grounding the story in a chillingly believable reality.
What elevates this novel beyond a standard crime thriller is its restraint. The suspense builds slowly, shaped by memory, regret, and unanswered questions rather than constant action. The later timeline reframes the past with devastating clarity, forcing readers to reconsider guilt, responsibility, and the cost of survival. Love in a Dark Place is a sophisticated, emotionally resonant thriller that rewards patient readers and stands out for its psychological depth and noir-inflected storytelling.
December 16, 2025
Love in a Dark Place is a haunting, atmospheric novel that weaves crime, obsession, and longing into a deeply human story. Geoffrey Douglas masterfully moves between two timelines, revealing how love can form in the most dangerous shadows and echo across decades. The contrast between gritty 1980s Atlantic City and contemporary New England is vivid and immersive, grounding the emotional stakes in sharply drawn settings.
What truly elevates the novel is its emotional complexity. Sarah is portrayed with depth and dignity, never reduced to circumstance, while Harry’s obsession unfolds with unsettling realism. Douglas balances noir tension with reflective melancholy, creating a story that is as much about memory and consequence as it is about crime. Love in a Dark Place is gripping, thoughtful, and quietly devastating.
What truly elevates the novel is its emotional complexity. Sarah is portrayed with depth and dignity, never reduced to circumstance, while Harry’s obsession unfolds with unsettling realism. Douglas balances noir tension with reflective melancholy, creating a story that is as much about memory and consequence as it is about crime. Love in a Dark Place is gripping, thoughtful, and quietly devastating.
November 22, 2025
70s/80s Mafia, Atlantic City, and back to the present
*Received as a Goodreads giveaway* This book is not only a look of a love that never was, but also a love that persisted through the years. It swapped from the 70s/80s to 2017 and followed two main characters, a prostitute named Sarah and a journalist named Harry. Two very unlikely people to find a deep connection in each other, but regardless of Sarah's reluctance to give any personal information to Harry, they had a bond.
I enjoyed the pieces about them more than the information about the gangs and history of Atlantic City. That seemed to lag for me. It really lost my interest and I found myself reading the same page a couple times. Their relationship was definitely unique.
*Received as a Goodreads giveaway* This book is not only a look of a love that never was, but also a love that persisted through the years. It swapped from the 70s/80s to 2017 and followed two main characters, a prostitute named Sarah and a journalist named Harry. Two very unlikely people to find a deep connection in each other, but regardless of Sarah's reluctance to give any personal information to Harry, they had a bond.
I enjoyed the pieces about them more than the information about the gangs and history of Atlantic City. That seemed to lag for me. It really lost my interest and I found myself reading the same page a couple times. Their relationship was definitely unique.
August 7, 2025
Love in a Dark Place surprised me with its emotional depth and understated tension. There’s an intensity simmering just beneath the surface that builds slowly as the story unfolds. The novel centers on a man at a personal and professional crossroads who becomes entangled in an unexpected relationship that challenges his sense of self. Douglas captures the weight of isolation and the complicated ways people reach for connection. I appreciated how grounded and human the story felt. A haunting, thoughtful read that stays with you of how love can be found even in the darkest histories.
Thank you Goodreads for the e-copy!
Thank you Goodreads for the e-copy!
October 16, 2025
Mr. Douglas paints an authentic picture of Atlantic City’s unfortunate downfall both pre- and post-casinos. With the passage of legalized gambling, the city’s residents clung to the hope that Atlantic City might be restored to its glory days only to see those dreams crushed by mismanagement, lawlessness, and greed. Throughout the novel, one roots for the star-crossed lovers caught up in that turmoil. Mr. Douglas draws on his experiences as a journalist to give us an enjoyable read.
Diane M. Zimmerman, author
Diane M. Zimmerman, author
September 25, 2025
Thank you to Goodreads for the Kindle free giveaway.
This is a gritty novel that centers on the underbelly of early '80's Atlantic City. It is a very depressing story and none of the characters would be considered happy. But the superior writing kept my interest in the story as it unfolded. Not a 5-star rating because it is not in my normal wheelhouse, but I am willing to give other genres a try.
This is a gritty novel that centers on the underbelly of early '80's Atlantic City. It is a very depressing story and none of the characters would be considered happy. But the superior writing kept my interest in the story as it unfolded. Not a 5-star rating because it is not in my normal wheelhouse, but I am willing to give other genres a try.
January 15, 2026
I received this book as a winner in a Goodreads giveaway as a Kindle edition. 3.5 stars
It has a dual story line beginning in 2018 with the discovery of dead female body pulled from the river.
It is emotional and like the title says, very dark. The descriptions of the male character who happens to be a writer and the tumultuous relationship of the female who is a paid escort during the early years of Atlantic City are sad and lonely.
It has a dual story line beginning in 2018 with the discovery of dead female body pulled from the river.
It is emotional and like the title says, very dark. The descriptions of the male character who happens to be a writer and the tumultuous relationship of the female who is a paid escort during the early years of Atlantic City are sad and lonely.
June 10, 2025
Ahh this book was fantastic! Very well written and realistic. The characters are very relatable and the details put into the characters and story line really helps move the story along. If you’re looking for a book to tug at your heart grab this one and read it! Thank you so much for my copy!
July 22, 2025
Atlantic City. The glitz, the glam, the ugly, dirty, human side of the mob. This story packs a punch. It's as much about the human condition and a love story as it is about how people are caught up and destroyed by an inescapable, far reaching machine fueled by greed and control.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 19, 2025
Won in a giveaway. Man this book was pretty depressing. It’s mostly just horrible things happening to people for the entire book. Makes me never want to go to Jersey, not that it was high on my travel list anyways.
September 26, 2025
Love In A Dark Place
A friendship forms between a prostitute and a journalist that spans for years. Sarah’s life is so hard and dark. This book was one I really couldn’t put down. I loved it!!
A friendship forms between a prostitute and a journalist that spans for years. Sarah’s life is so hard and dark. This book was one I really couldn’t put down. I loved it!!
November 3, 2025
A bit heavy handed. Always fun to read about hookers with hearts of gold that just can’t help falling love with one of their clients who just happens to be the author. Perhaps some men like this fantasy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 28, 2025
A slow slough and just like the title implies, very dark.
July 9, 2025
🐦🔥🐦🔥🐦🔥🐦🔥🐦🔥
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 9, 2025
a sad story
I had a hard time reading this. It felt a little disjointed to me and I had issue with all the mentions of trump and trump plaza.
I had a hard time reading this. It felt a little disjointed to me and I had issue with all the mentions of trump and trump plaza.
August 30, 2025
Love in a Dark Place is a beautifully written, heartfelt story that explores the complexities of love with honesty and compassion. Geoffrey Douglas’s writing is vivid and deeply moving, making the characters and their struggles unforgettable. A powerful and thought-provoking read that stays with you long after the last page.
Want to read
September 22, 2025I'm the author of this book. A mistake here--not sure how this rating happened. Any way to delete it?
January 5, 2026
Geoffrey Douglas is a great writer; the writing was so smooth and the story flowed well. I thoroughly enjoyed this book; although it is very dark and puts the reader in a melancholy mood, there is always an underlying sense of hope. At times I felt like I was drowning in a cesspool of despair but there is a slight hint of hope pulling me back up. The way the author pulls a reader in and out is a testament to their writing skill. I can't wait to read his other books.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews