Dark Witness

Witness #7

by Rebecca Forster

A blood feud sent Hannah Sheraton and Billy Zuni fleeing for their lives; a government that wants to turn Billy over to juvenile authorities keeps them on the run. When their trail goes cold, Archer and Josie reluctantly abandon their search for the teenagers. Determined to stay out of harm's way until Billy turns eighteen, they hunker down in the darkest corner of earth they can find and wait for the danger to pass. The journey is treacherous, and near deadly for Hannah, but luck is with them. They find themselves far from Hermosa Beach in a small commune in the wilds of Alaska. But when the perpetual winter dark turns to inky black, they realize they have taken refuge in hell. Now Hannah and Billy's fight is not only for their lives, but their very souls.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Crime, Mystery Thriller, Thriller, Legal Thriller

366 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 20, 2014

About the author

Rebecca Forster began writing on a crazy dare and found her passion.

Now with over 40 books to her name, she is a USA Today and Amazon bestselling thriller author. Rebecca likes hands-on research and is a graduate of the DEA and ATF Citizens Academies. She is an avid court watcher, has taken numerous weapons courses, and even landed by tail hook on the USS Nimitz to make sure she has lived what she writes.

Rebecca is married to a Superior Court judge and is the mother of two grown sons. She resides in Southern California

Reviews

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very suspenseful!

What a different story line. With some interesting people. Can't wait to read the next book. As soon as I finish writing this.

[Lawrence Standifer Stevens · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a Rebecca Forster fanboy. She has written characters that are so solid and well developed — Hannah and Billy — that you will believe, as I do, that they really do exist, somehow, somewhere. Their travails will be yours, their pain will envelope you with fear, and their desperate plans for escape will have you begging God or the universe or your Aunt Harriet for them to succeed.

Forster is a marvelous writer. She creates characters that are sympathetic, characters that are creepy they're so evil, and characters that are flawed but who will have you in their corner rooting for them as they overcome their shortcomings. Rebecca doesn't write predictable plot lines; I find that I'm genuinely surprised and rarely can I guess what's going to happen more than a couple paragraphs away. But by then it's too late. Several times, particularly with this 7th installment in the Witness Series, I literally threw down my book, afraid to find out what was going to happen next. Chills run down my spine just thinking about it!

If you've seen her books and wondered, Should I? You should. My recommendation and my rating (5 stars) aren't high enough. And it's because I have enjoyed this saga of Josie Bates, Archer, Hannah, and Billy Zuni more than any other author's writing. Her plot lines are different, unexpected even, and never formulaic nor do they suffer from a cookie-cutter sameness. It's her characters that keep me up at night, reading when I should be sleeping. I bet you'll do the same.

[Cc · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn't wait for this book. I am a huge fan of this series. This was the first author I ever emailed to tell her I was a fan. I hope that because the end is still somewhat unresolved either an 8th installment will come to fruition about Billy and Hannah or a new series with Andre and Nell will begin. But I want one more tying up Hannah and Billy with the happily ever after and more of the enjoyable banter between Josie and Archer

[Penny J Vidler · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great book in the witness series Dark Witness was very intense and sit on the edge of your seat captivating . I just love the characters in this series , just one more for me to read , but I know there will be other Rebecca Forster books I will look forward to getting to read. Thanks for the fantastic book .
Penny

[KyBunnies · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a 'thrown kindle when finished' book. UGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I loved and hated the ending of this book.

[Cheryl Erbe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the best book and the saddest

I have very mixed feelings about this book. It was written exquisitely. It captures the struggles of a couple of kids as they cross the West coast clear to Alaska. Only to be separated in the end. No one knows what happened to one of them in the end. They stand against the faithful who try and hurt Hannah. Then in the end Josie and Archer find Hannah, but only her. Josie and Archer get back home and they all wind up on the beach for the wedding. There was much time spent reading this book. There were many tears spilled during that time. It’s the best of all the books I’ve read so far. And trust me that’s a lot of books.

[Brett · Rating 1 out of 5]

The Josie Bates series started out like gang-busters. The 3rd book was bizarre (I thought perhaps an anomaly?); the 4th was back on track. By the time I read the 7th -> the steam was gone from the series. I tried but couldn't wade though Dark Witness; it appears the author has lost her focus. I will read the 8th novel, hoping to recapture the stride that was established at the start of the series before I put the Josie Bates novels down.

[Diane Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent thriller!

Great characters and tense plot that will keep you reading until the wee hours of the night. The only thing I have to complain about was the end of the story...I was disappointed with that, but this was a great series otherwise.

[S. Kent Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very Dark

It's astonishing how Rebecca can keep it going! She changes venues breaking my train of thought. I would love to meet Josie! Without Archer around . I wonder what happened to Billy.

[April · Rating 5 out of 5]

Believable

I never felt that any of the novel was less than real. It’s well written and believable. The events could have happened in “real” life. Can’t wait to move onto the next in this series.

[Trinity · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read

I enjoyed this book and the entire series. The ending wasn't my favorite but that is because I became pretty attached to the characters.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I pik d this series enough to read them all and find other books by this author. Not great literature but a good read.

[Sandra Baker · Rating 1 out of 5]

Weird

[Sridharan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not very fast. Sort of meandering. Almost no role for Archer and Josie.

[Ray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great

Good book and a very great story line. Can't wait for lost witness.

Thanks for the read.




The th FC n

[Darren · Rating 5 out of 5]

in this most recent book of the series, you will find that you will need to read a while before you encounter Josie. if you read the previous book, this will make sense. Hannah and Billy are trying to remain safe, but things go horribly wrong! Billy and Hannah are definitely in a situation that they are not familiar with, not comfortable, and definitely afraid of what may be coming next! Josie and archer end up somewhere they never thought they would be, looking for Hannah and Billy. above all of the unexpected twists in this book, the truly most unexpected twist will be at the end! You absolutely will not believe it! Your mouth will be left hanging open! I guarantee! this is an unbelievable transformation from book one all the way through the end of book 7!

[Cynthia (Bingeing On Books) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had to really think about the rating for this book because I was not satisfied. As usual, Rebecca Forster writes a thrilling mystery that kept me on the edge of my seat. But I really feel like the author is working hard to try to draw everything out just so she can sell more books. This book was Hannah and Billy's book, as opposed to Josie and Archer. I wouldn't have had a problem with that if the author had actually talked about Hannah and Billy. There were chapters we didn't see them or have any idea what was happening to them. The reason for this was that Forster introduced way too many characters. Every chapter was a different POV. It was confusing and unnecessary. And there is nothing worse than an author introducing a secondary character that has NO point, like with Mama Cecilia and Oki. It's not a huge spoiler to say that Mama Cecilia spent the ENTIRE book looking for a drunk son and her granddaughter that she NEVER finds and we NEVER see. I kept waiting for the big reveal: maybe her son or granddaughter would end up being someone that had dealings with Hannah and Billy. But nope, no such luck. I won't give away how she finally interacts with Hannah and Billy, but I will say that the chapters featuring her were a complete waste of time, and there were many of them. I also hated the ending. Either the author ended on a cliffhanger and will never resolve anything (unlikely) or she has ended the book in a way so she can sell yet another book in the series. The last couple of books in the series have seemed to be more and more outlandish and they keep getting worse. I am not happy with Rebecca Forster.

[Al · Rating 5 out of 5]

Those who have read the previous books in the Witness Series knew when they finished Forgotten Witness (book 6 in the series) that there would have to be at least one more book. Forster had left two important characters, Hannah Sheridan (a character almost as important to the series as Josie Bates), and recurring character Billy Zuni in limbo, with what little changed through the course of book six making their situation more tenuous. (For those who haven’t read the prior books or may have forgotten, they were running from a man intent on killing Billy.) This installment picks up Hannah and Billy’s story where their situation gets even worse.

I’m reluctant to say anything specific about what happens because everything feels like it would be a spoiler. While the last book focused on Josie Bates, this is Hannah and Billy’s book with Josie and Archer taking secondary roles. Although the initial book in the series was clearly a legal thriller, as the series has progressed it has slid out of the legal subgenre and into the broader thriller or suspense category. If this book has a single scene in a courtroom, it is so minor that I’ve forgotten it. If you’ve read the series thus far, you’ll definitely want to pick up this one as Hannah and Billy flee from one dangerous situation, only to fall into another. What that is and how it resolves is quite a ride.

**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy. **

[Naomi Bell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dark Witness by Rebecca Forster is book 7 in the Josie Bates Witness series. While the book can be read as a stand-alone novel, it is a continuation of the tale of Jose Bates. Specifically, this book focuses on the lives of Hannah and Billy. Fleeing from danger in Hermosa Beach, the pair finds themselves in the wilds of Alaska. They not only need to find safety from the danger of the wild, they run into a threat of another kind. The plot line threads together 3 different perspectives to meet toward the end in a fireball of an ending. The characters are relatable and complex. Rebecca is a masterful story teller who incorporates a fascinating story of loyalty, religious zealotry, determination and love. It is an exceptionally well written, engaging tale.

[Samie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book. I found it hard to read the last chapter, as I didn't want to leave these wonderful people (not characters). They seem like old friends. I hope that there will be one last book, taking place about 10 years later. I can't say anymore without spoilers.

Thank you, Rebecca. I have enjoyed this series so much. It was my first trip into real mystery/thriller territory (not romantic suspense). My reading preferences are such that I got here from romance via science fiction (Asimov, Bradbury) and Leonard Wibberley. Again, thank you so much.

[Carolyn Dewalt · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best in series

I really enjoy the WITNESS series and I hope the next one will be out soon. The writing is good, the characters are like family by now and the storyline is just not the same old mystery that bores me. You have to try this series but do read them in order.

[cathy moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great addition to the series

Unlike some other reviewers, I greatly enjoyed this latest book in the Witness Series. Hannah and Billy are the lead characters but Josie and Archer are still an integral part of the plot. Shifting the scene to Alaska adds so much variety to the story line that is truly enjoyable.

[Channelle · Rating 1 out of 5]

This could quite possibly be the worst book I ever read. A terrible ending to the series and an extremely silly story line. I wish I would have stopped reading it at page 20 or so when it started taking a turn for the worse.

[Lyndsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I wasn't sure I was going to because the focus is on Hannah and Billy, instead of Josie. But, it was definitely refreshing to see it go off Josie a little bit. I got pretty invested in Hannah over the series and was interested to see how everything turns out for her.

[Patti · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book answered alot of questions in the ongoing series. but also opened even more questions, so i can assume there will be more in the series. i enjoyed the read. it's strictly for entertainment and i wanted that.

[charles horsley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dark witness Review

What another great read. The story follows on from book six really well. The tension just seems to get better and better the further you read. I recommend this book to everyone even if its your first Rebecca Forster novel. Five stars all round.

[Pamela · Rating 5 out of 5]

By far, this is the best book of the witness series. Cannot wait to see how Rebecca Forster crafts #8.

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ahh, yes! Another excellent thriller! Mrs. Rebecca Forster you never disappoint.

[Alan Story · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book was fantastic.another book you can't put down.

[James Whitehead · Rating 5 out of 5]

She is the best!

By the time you get to book 7 of a series, you assume the thrill will be gone. Not so in this series....The thrill never ends!!!