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The Darkness They See
In prisons everywhere, there’s a rule. Men who hurt children pay for it. Protecting the vulnerable is supposed to be instinct. At least, for most of us.
Cincinnati, 1990. Detective Ross Sager is leading the hunt for a precision-driven bank robber—clean hits, military tactics, never a wasted move. His job is get the man in cuffs before anyone gets hurt. But someone does. And Sager will carry the blame forever.
Five years later, he’s earned a second chance in the Sex Assault/Child Abuse Unit. The work is grim and the hours long, but for Sager, every victim saved is another step toward redemption. When he’s pulled into an FBI task force investigating a pay-to-view child-exploitation site called The Vault, he expects depravity. What he doesn’t expect is that the rot leads back to his city, his colleagues, and ultimately, his own home.
When a child is targeted and a countdown begins, Sager has one chance to stop another life from being destroyed.
Haunted by PTSD and the guilt of an innocent witness’s murder, Sager follows a trail that leads deep into corruption and privilege. The more he uncovers, the darker the truth These children aren’t falling through the cracks. Someone is pushing them.
To end the darkness he’s chasing, he may have to invite it inside.
Cincinnati, 1990. Detective Ross Sager is leading the hunt for a precision-driven bank robber—clean hits, military tactics, never a wasted move. His job is get the man in cuffs before anyone gets hurt. But someone does. And Sager will carry the blame forever.
Five years later, he’s earned a second chance in the Sex Assault/Child Abuse Unit. The work is grim and the hours long, but for Sager, every victim saved is another step toward redemption. When he’s pulled into an FBI task force investigating a pay-to-view child-exploitation site called The Vault, he expects depravity. What he doesn’t expect is that the rot leads back to his city, his colleagues, and ultimately, his own home.
When a child is targeted and a countdown begins, Sager has one chance to stop another life from being destroyed.
Haunted by PTSD and the guilt of an innocent witness’s murder, Sager follows a trail that leads deep into corruption and privilege. The more he uncovers, the darker the truth These children aren’t falling through the cracks. Someone is pushing them.
To end the darkness he’s chasing, he may have to invite it inside.
429 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 18, 2025
9 people are currently reading
22 people want to read
About the author
Sam Brannick
2 books7 followersSam Brannick is the author of dark crime fiction rooted in realism and moral consequence. His work examines violence not as spectacle, but as something that leaves scars—on victims, on investigators, and on the systems meant to protect them.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
January 3, 2026
A real page turner
January 8, 2026
What a page turner. Colourful and empathetic characters. Lots of unexpected twists and turns. I couldn’t put it down.
January 10, 2026
Thoroughly enjoyed the twists and turns. Really great police thriller!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews