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Clara Pascal #1
Darkness Falls
Clara Pascal had everything. A high-flying barrister and devoted mother, she was envied and admired by her peers. Now, robbed of everything that gives her life meaning, she lies chained to the stone wall of a dark cellar - without food, without warmth, without sleep, without even the most basic communication, for her kidnapper will not even tell her what he wants from her. As Clara passes from fear to anger to despair in her dark prison, Detective Inspector Steve Lawson leads the Cheshire police team working to find her. Is her abduction the work of a random maniac? A released criminal taking his revenge on the lawyer who sent him to jail? An obsessed stalker? Is it a last, spectacular bid for freedom by Casavettes, the ruthless drugs baron she was prosecuting? Even her husband is not above suspicion.
368 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2001
381 people are currently reading
227 people want to read
About the author
Margaret Murphy
67 books88 followersMargaret Murphy writes internationally acclaimed and bestselling psychological thrillers under her own name, and in September 2023, she will publish the first of a new series, Dead Man Walking as M. K. Murphy.
She has also published forensic thrillers as Ashley Dyer and AD Garrett. She is a past Chair of the Crime Writers Association (CWA), founder of Murder Squad, and a former RLF Writing Fellow and Reading Round Lector. A Short Story Dagger, HRF Keating, and CWA Red Herring award winner, she has also been shortlisted for the ‘First Blood’ critics award and CWA Dagger in the Library.
www.margaret-murphy.co.uk
(Pseudonym: A.D. Garrett)
(Pseudonym: Ashley Dyer https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...)
She has also published forensic thrillers as Ashley Dyer and AD Garrett. She is a past Chair of the Crime Writers Association (CWA), founder of Murder Squad, and a former RLF Writing Fellow and Reading Round Lector. A Short Story Dagger, HRF Keating, and CWA Red Herring award winner, she has also been shortlisted for the ‘First Blood’ critics award and CWA Dagger in the Library.
www.margaret-murphy.co.uk
(Pseudonym: A.D. Garrett)
(Pseudonym: Ashley Dyer https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
June 28, 2020
Darkness Falls by Margaret Murphy is a mystery within a mystery and is suspenseful from the first page. Clara Pascal is an English barrister with a full life: a busy career, a loving husband and a young daughter. While dropping her daughter off at school, Clara is attacked and thrown into the back of a van, while her terrified daughter looks on. She regains consciousness shackled in a damp and dark basement, not knowing what just happened or why. DI Lawson is tasked with hopefully finding the barrister alive and bringing her back to her family. She is deprived of food, heat and lights and her masked kidnapper is unknown to her or is he! He taunts her cruelly and he obviously will not tell her why he despises her. Why is Clara in this basement? What will her kidnapper do to her? Why is he so angry? Will he ever release her? This is a riveting story. Thank you to Joffe Books and NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 3, 2014
I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. Normal people, professional police, a plausible story and a good twist made it thoroughly readable. The tension ratcheted up as you wondered whether the abducted woman would make it out alive (because they don't always) and the pacing was just right. Yes, it was lightweight but very well put together.
April 9, 2020
Clara Pascal #1
Clara Pascal is a high powered barrister. She is also a wife and mother. It's her daughter Pippa's birthday and she persuades Clara to drive her to school. But outside the school gates, Clara gets abducted and Pippa is the only witness. The abductor had planned Clara's abduction but we don't know why. She's kept chained to the wall and deprived of basic needs. Clara tries to work out who her abductor could be but she can't think of anyone. Clara's husband is a suspect along with Cassavetes, the man Clara was in the process of prosecuting.
Thenoace is slow to begin with but it does pick up. Thenstory has a couple of good twists. There is a lot of characters to try and remember. We meet DI Steve Lawson and DS Barton, the officers in charge of find Clara. This is quite a good psychological thriller.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Joffe Books and the author Margaret Murphy for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Clara Pascal is a high powered barrister. She is also a wife and mother. It's her daughter Pippa's birthday and she persuades Clara to drive her to school. But outside the school gates, Clara gets abducted and Pippa is the only witness. The abductor had planned Clara's abduction but we don't know why. She's kept chained to the wall and deprived of basic needs. Clara tries to work out who her abductor could be but she can't think of anyone. Clara's husband is a suspect along with Cassavetes, the man Clara was in the process of prosecuting.
Thenoace is slow to begin with but it does pick up. Thenstory has a couple of good twists. There is a lot of characters to try and remember. We meet DI Steve Lawson and DS Barton, the officers in charge of find Clara. This is quite a good psychological thriller.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Joffe Books and the author Margaret Murphy for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
April 11, 2020
Darkness Falls, first published in 2002, is the first instalment in the Clara Pascal series and it turned out to be a lot more captivating than I initially thought it would be. Clara is a prominent local barrister for the prosecution but when she drives her daughter Pippa to school one morning she is abducted outside the school gates in broad daylight with only Pippa as a witness; she was forced to stand and watch as her mother was bundled into a vehicle and she could do nothing about it. We learn that the kidnapper had this planned for a while proving she was the target and that it was not simply a crime of opportunity. Chained to the wall in a cold, damp cellar Clara can't keep from wondering who could've done this. There are many suspects and she likely had made lots of enemies as a prosecutor although it may be worth looking a little closer to home. The police have few clues and only Pippa’s hysterical description of the white van that took her mother.
This is a superbly plotted, absorbing and totally riveting read with a plot that grips you early on. It starts off at quite a pedestrian pace in order to introduce the characters but it soon picks up and has you racing along turning the pages. It is a terrifying and chilling psychological thriller that plays with your mind and is written in a gritty and gripping fashion to ensure you're engrossed from start to finish. There are many twists some that were shocking and others that we're foreseeable but it didn't detract from the storyline one bit. Ms Murphy takes the time to develop the cast of characters meaning you really care about what happens to them and even the settings are wonderfully described. Clara is a fascinating character and I hope to learn more about her and see her evolve over the next instalments. If you enjoy menacing and tension-filled stories with killer climaxes then give this a try. I guarantee you won't be disappointed. Many thanks to Joffe for an ARC.
This is a superbly plotted, absorbing and totally riveting read with a plot that grips you early on. It starts off at quite a pedestrian pace in order to introduce the characters but it soon picks up and has you racing along turning the pages. It is a terrifying and chilling psychological thriller that plays with your mind and is written in a gritty and gripping fashion to ensure you're engrossed from start to finish. There are many twists some that were shocking and others that we're foreseeable but it didn't detract from the storyline one bit. Ms Murphy takes the time to develop the cast of characters meaning you really care about what happens to them and even the settings are wonderfully described. Clara is a fascinating character and I hope to learn more about her and see her evolve over the next instalments. If you enjoy menacing and tension-filled stories with killer climaxes then give this a try. I guarantee you won't be disappointed. Many thanks to Joffe for an ARC.
May 7, 2020
Clara Pascal is a well-known barrister who seems to have it all ... an important career that she handles quite well, a devoted husband, a young daughter.
This morning, everything she ever believed will rise up and slap her in the face.
As she delivers her daughter to school, a man abruptly grabs her and forces her into his vehicle. All Clara can remember is hearing her daughter screaming and chasing after her.
Finding herself chained to a wall in a cellar, Clara has no idea who the kidnapper is ... why she was taken ... and what will happen to her next.
DI Lawson wonders the same thing. Being a prosecutor means she has made plenty of enemies, however Larson is looking closer to home.
This gripping read bounces back and forth between her time as a captive and the search for her that is being carried out. It's hard to put this one down once started. There are twists and turns reminiscent of a roller coaster ride with multiple suspects poking up here and there. It's well written with a solid plot and skillfully drawn characters.
Many thanks to the author / Joffe Books / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
This morning, everything she ever believed will rise up and slap her in the face.
As she delivers her daughter to school, a man abruptly grabs her and forces her into his vehicle. All Clara can remember is hearing her daughter screaming and chasing after her.
Finding herself chained to a wall in a cellar, Clara has no idea who the kidnapper is ... why she was taken ... and what will happen to her next.
DI Lawson wonders the same thing. Being a prosecutor means she has made plenty of enemies, however Larson is looking closer to home.
This gripping read bounces back and forth between her time as a captive and the search for her that is being carried out. It's hard to put this one down once started. There are twists and turns reminiscent of a roller coaster ride with multiple suspects poking up here and there. It's well written with a solid plot and skillfully drawn characters.
Many thanks to the author / Joffe Books / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
April 27, 2023
Note: I read a review copy from Joffe Books, I cannot find that edition on Goodreads but this has been republished with a new cover May 2020.
I really was excited to start this book after reading the blurb. It sounded like a really good psychological thriller. From the onset I struggled to absorb the plot, I found it very jumbled and characters being thrown in left, right and centre too fast, too early. The characters didn't come to life, I really struggled to connect with any of them. Some were just really unlikeable. The characters really need fleshing out and given some depth.
Sometimes less is more. Show not tell. I got bored in the overuse of descriptions and paragraphs. Lots could have been shorter and sharper, making much more impact. I tried really hard to dig into this book but it had no grip. I read a lot in this genre and this really has the makings of a good book but it didn't cut the mustard compared to so many great books on the market (many from new and indie authors).
I got bored and skimmed pages, which for me is really rare. Two stars from me. Oodles of potential but didn't deliver with the snappy pace and clarity this genre needs to hold the reader. It seems this book has been published a few times with different publishers since 2002 according to Goodreads. I didn't realise that.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for a review copy of this book. All opinions are my own and totally unbiased.
I really was excited to start this book after reading the blurb. It sounded like a really good psychological thriller. From the onset I struggled to absorb the plot, I found it very jumbled and characters being thrown in left, right and centre too fast, too early. The characters didn't come to life, I really struggled to connect with any of them. Some were just really unlikeable. The characters really need fleshing out and given some depth.
Sometimes less is more. Show not tell. I got bored in the overuse of descriptions and paragraphs. Lots could have been shorter and sharper, making much more impact. I tried really hard to dig into this book but it had no grip. I read a lot in this genre and this really has the makings of a good book but it didn't cut the mustard compared to so many great books on the market (many from new and indie authors).
I got bored and skimmed pages, which for me is really rare. Two stars from me. Oodles of potential but didn't deliver with the snappy pace and clarity this genre needs to hold the reader. It seems this book has been published a few times with different publishers since 2002 according to Goodreads. I didn't realise that.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for a review copy of this book. All opinions are my own and totally unbiased.
May 31, 2015
Darkness Falls started very slow, even though it opens with someone dumping a dead body and Clara Pascal being taken. After about 100 pages I considered not reading on. However I have huge respect for authors who have been published and I feel it is disrespectful to not finish a book. It was for that reason and because the chapters which gave you a look into the criminal mind where quite realistic I decided to keep reading.
I'm VERY glad I kept reading because there wasn't just one twist in the story but two. I didn't see either twist coming and normally I am able to. The story progressed very quickly at the end and was very exciting.
My suggestion to anyone who might not want to read to the end would be to keep reading, it is well worth the slow start.
I'm VERY glad I kept reading because there wasn't just one twist in the story but two. I didn't see either twist coming and normally I am able to. The story progressed very quickly at the end and was very exciting.
My suggestion to anyone who might not want to read to the end would be to keep reading, it is well worth the slow start.
April 19, 2020
This is the first time that i have read a book by Margaret Murphy and cannot wait to read more. 'Darkness Falls' was a well written book, full of twists and turns. Loved the characters. Although i never write what a story is about as i prefer one to read the book for themselves, i do recommend.
My thanks to Netgalley and the Publishers for my copy. This is my honest review, which i have voluntarily given.
My thanks to Netgalley and the Publishers for my copy. This is my honest review, which i have voluntarily given.
May 25, 2020
Clara is a defence lawyer happy with life living with her husband and young daughter, Pippa. It isn't a normal day it is Pippa's birthday and also the start of a big case. Clara doesn't have time to take Pippa to school but she has reckoned without a child's emotional blackmail. So in a rush off she goes to take Pippa to school. That was a big mistake because after saying goodbye to her daughter she finds herself being bundled into a van and later wakes up to find herself locked in a dark cellar.
Why has Clara been abducted and who is her abducter?
This is a gripping story that gets down into the emotions and problems of a family facing the unknown, trying to function with too many questions each trying to deal with things in their own way.
As the story progresses there are many twists and turns along with red herrings to keep the mind working trying to work out who has abducted Clara and if it is the same unsub who has abducted others.
The ending WOW as all the strands come together we are left reeling with a conclusion we never expected.
I look forward to more from this author
Why has Clara been abducted and who is her abducter?
This is a gripping story that gets down into the emotions and problems of a family facing the unknown, trying to function with too many questions each trying to deal with things in their own way.
As the story progresses there are many twists and turns along with red herrings to keep the mind working trying to work out who has abducted Clara and if it is the same unsub who has abducted others.
The ending WOW as all the strands come together we are left reeling with a conclusion we never expected.
I look forward to more from this author
May 15, 2020
Clara Pascal, a barrister of a high profile case, is abducted right in front of her daughter. The story is about her experience as well as the efforts to find her. The book alternates between Clara's horrible experience and the investigation. Although the situation was terrifying, I didn't connect with the characters. I couldn't get a read on her husband and numerous interactions between the police and her colleagues seemed superficial.
In my opinion, there were too many characters on the police force, and it took me quite a while to keep them straight. Although the book picked up considerably during the last half of so, overall it needed more oomph to pull me in sooner. I would rate the second half 4 stars.
Thank you Joffe Books and NetGalley for a copy of this eBook in exchange for an honest review.
In my opinion, there were too many characters on the police force, and it took me quite a while to keep them straight. Although the book picked up considerably during the last half of so, overall it needed more oomph to pull me in sooner. I would rate the second half 4 stars.
Thank you Joffe Books and NetGalley for a copy of this eBook in exchange for an honest review.
May 4, 2020
For a British police procedural, this book has a very good pace. The story is well written and the characters are believable. The plot, however, is not that believable, but this is fiction and good entertainment.
April 17, 2020
Darkness Falls by Margaret Murphy
Clara Pascal #1
Have you ever had a day that looked promising only to have everything start to slip and slide away from you? You are ready and eager for work, not expecting to drop your daughter off at school and definitely not expecting to be kidnapped. And, that is just what happens to Clara Pascal...she is snatched from the street and carried away, put into a dark place and treated abysmally for days. All the time she wonders who took her, why she was taken and how she can get away.
This book has more than one thread to be followed:
* Clara’s time in the dark
* Police Procedural aspects
* Glimpses of how Clara’s husband, daughter and the nanny are doing
* Side story relevant to one of her cases
* And a few others
What I liked:
* The intensity of the part dealing with Clara’s experiences in the dark
* The why of the taking of Clara
* Clara’s insights
* Pippa – Clara’s nine year old daughter
* The twists and turns
* The slow revelations
* The real feel of it all
* The psychological insights some experienced
* The resolution
What I did not like:
* The evil people I was meant to dislike
* That justice wins – sort of
* The slow revelations – sometimes too slow for me
* The police procedural part sometimes lost me
* The sexism, female degradation and such
Did I enjoy the book? Eventually...almost gave up in the beginning
Would I read more in this series? I think so
Why? Because by the end of the story I was invested and wanted to see what would happen in book two of the series
Thank you to NetGalley and Joffe for the ARC – This is my honest review.
3-4 Stars
Clara Pascal #1
Have you ever had a day that looked promising only to have everything start to slip and slide away from you? You are ready and eager for work, not expecting to drop your daughter off at school and definitely not expecting to be kidnapped. And, that is just what happens to Clara Pascal...she is snatched from the street and carried away, put into a dark place and treated abysmally for days. All the time she wonders who took her, why she was taken and how she can get away.
This book has more than one thread to be followed:
* Clara’s time in the dark
* Police Procedural aspects
* Glimpses of how Clara’s husband, daughter and the nanny are doing
* Side story relevant to one of her cases
* And a few others
What I liked:
* The intensity of the part dealing with Clara’s experiences in the dark
* The why of the taking of Clara
* Clara’s insights
* Pippa – Clara’s nine year old daughter
* The twists and turns
* The slow revelations
* The real feel of it all
* The psychological insights some experienced
* The resolution
What I did not like:
* The evil people I was meant to dislike
* That justice wins – sort of
* The slow revelations – sometimes too slow for me
* The police procedural part sometimes lost me
* The sexism, female degradation and such
Did I enjoy the book? Eventually...almost gave up in the beginning
Would I read more in this series? I think so
Why? Because by the end of the story I was invested and wanted to see what would happen in book two of the series
Thank you to NetGalley and Joffe for the ARC – This is my honest review.
3-4 Stars
September 7, 2020
Clara Pascal, a barrister, has been kidnapped in front of her daughter's school. She is chained in a damp basement with little light and little food. But why?
Was it the organized crime boss she was prosecuting? Did he arrange for her kidnapping from behind bars to delay his trial? Was it the man who she defended who she really hoped would have ended up in jail? As her kidnapper slowly feeds her clues as to his identity, she comes to realize that she may know nothing at all.
Darkness Falls by Margaret Murphy was an edge-of-your-seat thriller. Told from Clara's, various police officers, her husband and a known killer's point of view, this book will make you lose sleep with its chilling writing and events.
I see this is the first book in the Clara Pascal series - I'm definitely looking forward to reading more. Great book!
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Was it the organized crime boss she was prosecuting? Did he arrange for her kidnapping from behind bars to delay his trial? Was it the man who she defended who she really hoped would have ended up in jail? As her kidnapper slowly feeds her clues as to his identity, she comes to realize that she may know nothing at all.
Darkness Falls by Margaret Murphy was an edge-of-your-seat thriller. Told from Clara's, various police officers, her husband and a known killer's point of view, this book will make you lose sleep with its chilling writing and events.
I see this is the first book in the Clara Pascal series - I'm definitely looking forward to reading more. Great book!
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 22, 2020
DARKNESS FALLS
A psychological crime thriller with two of the most deranged characters ever, a grieved vengeful father turn criminal and an equally deranged monster serial rapist-murderer. To top that off you have a mafia family who wanted prominent DA Clara pascal to sway to their way and they would do anything to get what they wanted. Poor Clara found herself in the hands of a madman kidnapped and fighting against time to escape. The police had their hands full of these maniacs all wanting to control things to their favor by death and any means possible. There is a saying that your past will come back to haunt you, but for Clara, it would kidnap torment and torture her almost to death. Minus the foul words this was absolutely gripping and nail-biting, it captivates you with its mind games and puzzling twist holding you prisoner to its pages.
A psychological crime thriller with two of the most deranged characters ever, a grieved vengeful father turn criminal and an equally deranged monster serial rapist-murderer. To top that off you have a mafia family who wanted prominent DA Clara pascal to sway to their way and they would do anything to get what they wanted. Poor Clara found herself in the hands of a madman kidnapped and fighting against time to escape. The police had their hands full of these maniacs all wanting to control things to their favor by death and any means possible. There is a saying that your past will come back to haunt you, but for Clara, it would kidnap torment and torture her almost to death. Minus the foul words this was absolutely gripping and nail-biting, it captivates you with its mind games and puzzling twist holding you prisoner to its pages.
January 20, 2025
The book was exciting, but it dragged on here and there.
March 12, 2025
Such a well written book.
I always try to guess the ending, but with this one I couldn't guess it correctly.
I'll keep an eye out for other books by this author.
I always try to guess the ending, but with this one I couldn't guess it correctly.
I'll keep an eye out for other books by this author.
April 12, 2021
I have to admit I wouldn't have picked this book up if it wasn't a post-pandemic Christmas gift from my lovely Dad. The front cover and description are pretty dark...
But I'm glad I read it! 3.5* glad. You can tell the author has a very good understanding of how CID works in the UK, and the way the story's written keeps you guessing. I raced through this book pretty quickly.
My only criticism would be that there were too many characters to keep a track of - mainly on the police side. I also thought Young's "character arc' was a bit shoe-horned in at the end.
But overall, this picks up a good pace and keeps you full of suspense.
But I'm glad I read it! 3.5* glad. You can tell the author has a very good understanding of how CID works in the UK, and the way the story's written keeps you guessing. I raced through this book pretty quickly.
My only criticism would be that there were too many characters to keep a track of - mainly on the police side. I also thought Young's "character arc' was a bit shoe-horned in at the end.
But overall, this picks up a good pace and keeps you full of suspense.
November 3, 2023
Margaret Murphy writes a really good book, keeps the suspense up right to the end.
June 15, 2020
Review featured at www.books-n-kisses.com
I hate it when a synopsis pulls me in and then I am disappointed because I know the book has so much potential. This is what happened in this story. It really has a lot of potential but there was so much extra wordage that I skipped a lot of pages and only read the dialogue which gave me all the information I needed.
To me there was just too much female bashing. I do not mean physically. Just that it seemed in the mind of these characters (and hopefully not the author) women are just useless. There were also a lot of police procedures. I mean we have all read or seen cop stories. We really do not need every detail. But that is what it felt like.
Just not an enjoyable read for me.
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
I hate it when a synopsis pulls me in and then I am disappointed because I know the book has so much potential. This is what happened in this story. It really has a lot of potential but there was so much extra wordage that I skipped a lot of pages and only read the dialogue which gave me all the information I needed.
To me there was just too much female bashing. I do not mean physically. Just that it seemed in the mind of these characters (and hopefully not the author) women are just useless. There were also a lot of police procedures. I mean we have all read or seen cop stories. We really do not need every detail. But that is what it felt like.
Just not an enjoyable read for me.
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
June 2, 2014
Clara Pascal is a wife, mother and holds a high-powered job as a barrister, and all of those things make demands on her time and energy. As the books opens, it's her daughter's birthday; and in spite of the fact that she's in a rush, Clara gives in to Pippa's pleas to be driven to school. As her daughter is walking away from the car, a man abducts Clara, with Pippa the only witness to the act.
As we soon discover, Clara is not a random victim. Her kidnapper has carefully planned the abduction. The reasons for his act are known only to him. He imprisons Clara in a dank cellar, where she is chained to the wall and deprived of her basic needs. He is careful not to reveal himself to her, and she endlessly ponders who he might be—someone she defended who is holding a grudge? Someone who felt justice was not served when she won her case? Try as she may, she can't come up with a reason for her abduction. All she can do is try to survive whatever situations arise.
There is a huge reaction to Clara's disappearance, and the investigation is led by Detective Inspector Steve Lawson. Clara's husband is under suspicion, as well as a gangster type by the name of Casavettes who she was in the process of prosecuting. The inquiries go slowly, and every moment that passes by is leading to more danger for Clara.
Clara is a wonderfully drawn character. Her situation is desperate, but she never melts into self-pity or servitude. Instead, she continues to maintain her spirit and attempts to understand what is going on with her captor. He is rather mystified by this kind of reaction. Instead of trembling and begging, his victim is sometimes verbally aggressive and threatening. He is a creepy bastard who refuses to be manipulated by any of the psychological moves that Clara tries to make on him.
The book is wonderfully written and involving. Murphy alternates between 2 settings: the interior setting where Clara is imprisoned and the external setting where the police are frantically putting together evidence in order to find her. The book only falters in its resolution, in that Murphy tries to pull off a tricky twist which didn't work for me.
Murphy has written a taut psychological thriller that is brimming with suspense throughout. One technique that she uses is to let the reader in on the plans that the villain has for his victim, who naturally is unaware of these future events. The reader, however, lives in fear because they are anticipating what is going to happen next. Recommended.
As we soon discover, Clara is not a random victim. Her kidnapper has carefully planned the abduction. The reasons for his act are known only to him. He imprisons Clara in a dank cellar, where she is chained to the wall and deprived of her basic needs. He is careful not to reveal himself to her, and she endlessly ponders who he might be—someone she defended who is holding a grudge? Someone who felt justice was not served when she won her case? Try as she may, she can't come up with a reason for her abduction. All she can do is try to survive whatever situations arise.
There is a huge reaction to Clara's disappearance, and the investigation is led by Detective Inspector Steve Lawson. Clara's husband is under suspicion, as well as a gangster type by the name of Casavettes who she was in the process of prosecuting. The inquiries go slowly, and every moment that passes by is leading to more danger for Clara.
Clara is a wonderfully drawn character. Her situation is desperate, but she never melts into self-pity or servitude. Instead, she continues to maintain her spirit and attempts to understand what is going on with her captor. He is rather mystified by this kind of reaction. Instead of trembling and begging, his victim is sometimes verbally aggressive and threatening. He is a creepy bastard who refuses to be manipulated by any of the psychological moves that Clara tries to make on him.
The book is wonderfully written and involving. Murphy alternates between 2 settings: the interior setting where Clara is imprisoned and the external setting where the police are frantically putting together evidence in order to find her. The book only falters in its resolution, in that Murphy tries to pull off a tricky twist which didn't work for me.
Murphy has written a taut psychological thriller that is brimming with suspense throughout. One technique that she uses is to let the reader in on the plans that the villain has for his victim, who naturally is unaware of these future events. The reader, however, lives in fear because they are anticipating what is going to happen next. Recommended.
May 11, 2020
This one had the potential to be a fantastic story - what bogged it down was the simple fact that there were just too many people to keep track of. Aside from Clara and her captor, there was also her husband, daughter and their "childminder", which aren't bad, but then you add in the 5 cops that I can remember off the top of my head (I'm sure there are more), their families, the other bad guys, and the numerous other people either interviewed or directly involved?
Not only is it overwhelming, but it all jumbled together until it reached a point where I no longer cared. Sadly, there was an officer injured at one point and it had absolutely no effect on me whatsoever because I had no idea who they were. It would have been much better, in my opinion, to focus on only a couple of officers and let us get to know them and make them integral to the plot without adding all these other ones who each maybe brought in one or two things each.
What makes this all the worse is that buried underneath the abundance of people, there were some good story-lines. I'm a little confused on the why when it comes to some of them (for example we don't really learn why one person does what they do), and when we find out why another person has taken action it doesn't make sense because they are not the only person to have been wronged by Clara. This was a classic example of "too many cooks in the kitchen".
And speaking of Clara, I'm not really sure what to make of her and how she and her family came out of the entire ordeal. I would have thought it would give anyone pause, but then I saw this is the first in a series of books about HER instead of any of the other numerous officers we met throughout this, and I just have no interest in continuing.
All things considered, I'm sure this book will appeal to others. In fact if the four and five-star reviews are anything to go by, I'm in the minority with my thoughts. However, I have enough books in my to-be-read pile that I can forget about this one easily enough.
DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.
Not only is it overwhelming, but it all jumbled together until it reached a point where I no longer cared. Sadly, there was an officer injured at one point and it had absolutely no effect on me whatsoever because I had no idea who they were. It would have been much better, in my opinion, to focus on only a couple of officers and let us get to know them and make them integral to the plot without adding all these other ones who each maybe brought in one or two things each.
What makes this all the worse is that buried underneath the abundance of people, there were some good story-lines. I'm a little confused on the why when it comes to some of them (for example we don't really learn why one person does what they do), and when we find out why another person has taken action it doesn't make sense because they are not the only person to have been wronged by Clara. This was a classic example of "too many cooks in the kitchen".
And speaking of Clara, I'm not really sure what to make of her and how she and her family came out of the entire ordeal. I would have thought it would give anyone pause, but then I saw this is the first in a series of books about HER instead of any of the other numerous officers we met throughout this, and I just have no interest in continuing.
All things considered, I'm sure this book will appeal to others. In fact if the four and five-star reviews are anything to go by, I'm in the minority with my thoughts. However, I have enough books in my to-be-read pile that I can forget about this one easily enough.
DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.
April 18, 2020
This is a new author to me and I did feel that this novel started quite well Clara getting ready for work child to take to school and also child's birthday a lot going on first thing in the morning. Pippa the little girl wants mummy to take her to school as mum never does it's usually the husband or nanny?.however today Clara does take her but she is early and told Pippa she must stay in the playground and wait for a teacher as she was the only one there because she was early, but when she gets to the school drops her child off and as she gets in her car she is abducted, and Pippa comes out running and tries to help mummy get free to no avail. Hence the police called, husband, not off the list of suspects and also looking to see what high-class felon she has got off recently as she is very good at her job as a lawyer. I'm afraid the novel went downhill after a good start, the police seemed al over the place not well organized, it seemed no one knew what the other one was doing, no interviews to talk off, and I did put a? mark against the nanny as I went back over the beginning to make sure who she was, could have been the husband's bit on the side turns out she is the nanny, insults being thrown around degrading women most of the time, and Clara in a dark cell bunker and no reason as to why one can only think is to do with her work but it makes you wonder if the story is about the terror Clara feels at the time, will she be saved, and another story thrown in of a criminal already in custody serving time that seems to have got his heavy mobs to find out where Clara is that the police could not do and uses it to try and get parole while awaiting trial, all very messy, took some sorting out and I nearly gave up not something I like doing especially as I was given an ARC copy from Joffe Books at Netgalley for review, I don't like giving negative reviews as I am usually a good judge of books especially thrillers, but thought 3*'s for effort.
April 17, 2020
CLARA PASCAL HAD IT ALL. NOW SHE FACES HER WORST NIGHTMARE
She’s a successful lawyer, beautiful and a devoted mother. People want to be her.
THEN CLARA'S ABDUCTED IN BROAD DAYLIGHT AS SHE TAKES HER DAUGHTER PIPPA TO SCHOOL.
The only witness is her daughter and all she can describe is a man bundling her mummy into a white van.
Now, robbed of everything that gives her life meaning, she lies chained to the stone wall of a dark cellar – without food, warmth, or sleep, without even the most basic communication.
WHY HAS HE TAKEN HER?
As the police team frantically investigates, knocking on doors, following up wisps of leads, bullying, cajoling, begging witnesses for help, it seems that Clara Pascal has disappeared without trace.
Meanwhile, in her dark prison, Clara begins to suspect why her kidnapper has kept her alive. And the reason is terrifying.
This is a brilliant read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believeable.
Great suspense and action with wonderful world building.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.
I was provided an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. This is my own honest voluntary review.
She’s a successful lawyer, beautiful and a devoted mother. People want to be her.
THEN CLARA'S ABDUCTED IN BROAD DAYLIGHT AS SHE TAKES HER DAUGHTER PIPPA TO SCHOOL.
The only witness is her daughter and all she can describe is a man bundling her mummy into a white van.
Now, robbed of everything that gives her life meaning, she lies chained to the stone wall of a dark cellar – without food, warmth, or sleep, without even the most basic communication.
WHY HAS HE TAKEN HER?
As the police team frantically investigates, knocking on doors, following up wisps of leads, bullying, cajoling, begging witnesses for help, it seems that Clara Pascal has disappeared without trace.
Meanwhile, in her dark prison, Clara begins to suspect why her kidnapper has kept her alive. And the reason is terrifying.
This is a brilliant read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believeable.
Great suspense and action with wonderful world building.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.
I was provided an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. This is my own honest voluntary review.
July 3, 2021
Clara Pascal is a successful barrister, mother, and wife to Pippa. On Pippa’s birthday Clara agrees to take her to school, where she is kidnapped in broad daylight.
Clara awakens in a dark, cold cellar where she is chained to the wall without food or water.
With Pippa being the only witness to the kidnapping, the police try to find out who took Clara Pascal.
Who would do this? and why?
This novel was originally published in 2002 although for some reason it didn’t make the headlines, which is strange because it such a good book! I don’t even know where to start.
First of all, if you enjoy novels with a lot of different characters, then you will love Darkness Falls. We get to know Clara, her husband, their nanny, the policemen investigating and of course the many suspects. It’s as if the reader was part of the investigation.
The story line is clever and skillfully plotted, with the main story lines that are interlinked and fall into place for a majestic ending: the investigation, the criminal and the one with the big twist which you will not see coming… or will you?
Disclosure: I would like to thank Joffe Books for an ARC of Darkness Falls. This is my honest review
Clara awakens in a dark, cold cellar where she is chained to the wall without food or water.
With Pippa being the only witness to the kidnapping, the police try to find out who took Clara Pascal.
Who would do this? and why?
This novel was originally published in 2002 although for some reason it didn’t make the headlines, which is strange because it such a good book! I don’t even know where to start.
First of all, if you enjoy novels with a lot of different characters, then you will love Darkness Falls. We get to know Clara, her husband, their nanny, the policemen investigating and of course the many suspects. It’s as if the reader was part of the investigation.
The story line is clever and skillfully plotted, with the main story lines that are interlinked and fall into place for a majestic ending: the investigation, the criminal and the one with the big twist which you will not see coming… or will you?
Disclosure: I would like to thank Joffe Books for an ARC of Darkness Falls. This is my honest review
November 18, 2009
Hmm, I'm not sure if I'm liking this one or not. I've kind of stumbled through the first 50 pages and not sure whether to continue. Now I'm remembering why I've always avoided reading British mysteries! All the terminology is so damn unfamiliar - DI, PC, DS, CID, SIO, Constable - I have no idea what any of these things stand for or what they are, and it frustrates me and causes irritation. Yes, I could look them all up, but I'll just promptly forget again and have to keep refreshing my memory. I might give it one more chapter, but I will most likely just give up on this one. -------- (20 minutes and 0 pages later)---> Realizing that once something turns me off there's little chance of turning it around, so I will just set this one aside and move on. Oh well, it happens!
*update* I've started going through and reading some of the rest of this book, but skipping all the investigation stuff (see above for reason). It's actually pretty good. I think that someone who is used to reading British novels might enjoy this one.
*update* I've started going through and reading some of the rest of this book, but skipping all the investigation stuff (see above for reason). It's actually pretty good. I think that someone who is used to reading British novels might enjoy this one.
April 22, 2020
Reflecting after reading this book, I realised it is quite clever.
There are really three narratives running through the story: the investigation, the criminal at work and one other, which you will need to read the book to locate.
And that is the clever part.
Clara, successful lawyer, is abducted dropping her daughter off at school. Just who has abducted here is a mystery. It could be someone involved in her current case or a disgruntled person from a previous case. Or even both.
There is also a serial murderer at work but is this the same person who has abducted Clara?
At times a bit predictable in that this is a procedural story, the outcome is nonetheless exciting and unexpected. I did enjoy it!!
There are really three narratives running through the story: the investigation, the criminal at work and one other, which you will need to read the book to locate.
And that is the clever part.
Clara, successful lawyer, is abducted dropping her daughter off at school. Just who has abducted here is a mystery. It could be someone involved in her current case or a disgruntled person from a previous case. Or even both.
There is also a serial murderer at work but is this the same person who has abducted Clara?
At times a bit predictable in that this is a procedural story, the outcome is nonetheless exciting and unexpected. I did enjoy it!!
September 7, 2016
Pippa 9 year old daughter of Clara and Hugo Pascal insists she wants her always too busy mother, a barrister, to take her to school instead of her babysitter Trish. What happens outside the school that day will change the family's life forever and give DI Steve Lawson and DS Barton their most puzzling case yet. Margaret Murphy gives the reader one of the most disturbing insights into the mind of a serial killer that I've ever read and keeps the reader waiting with bated breath to discover an end which seems destined for doom. The suspense is kept up until the very end of this top-class thriller. Don't let this one pass you by.
April 9, 2012
First of all, it is hard to record a book like this, which has the same title as a number of others. I thought that I had meticulously scoured the list, but I may have missed checking a book or two. This takes place in England, obviously. The circumstances may seem rather implausible--surely many lawyers get guilty clients off, and the parents of their victims do not get revenge. I also felt that there could have been some indication as to whether Clara Pascal planned to continue representing scum, or whether she would consider a career change.
December 2, 2014
I loved this book. The author has the coolest writing style where it's very emotional without being wordy, sappy, overwrought with gooeiness. I confess that I love English books, I am not even sure why. I always feel as it the English writers are more authentic. Not trying to be storytellers. Or maybe there are but coming upon English words and phrases are refreshing. I am not sure, exactly.
Great story and very well developed plots and subplots. Very invigorating to get great characters and exceptional dialogue!
Great story and very well developed plots and subplots. Very invigorating to get great characters and exceptional dialogue!
July 29, 2015
I like reading books with British lingo in it. It's fun and different; mixes things up. So that was a strong point for this book.
I also appreciated the complexity of the mystery. It wasn't as straightforward as I thought it would be, which added intrigue and excitement.
The downside to the book is that it was rather blah for the first 100 or so pages. I was having a hard time getting into it, and there are a lot of characters (perhaps too many?) so I was a bit lost. But then suddenly things fell into place and started moving forward.
Overall, I thought it was a good, entertaining read.
I also appreciated the complexity of the mystery. It wasn't as straightforward as I thought it would be, which added intrigue and excitement.
The downside to the book is that it was rather blah for the first 100 or so pages. I was having a hard time getting into it, and there are a lot of characters (perhaps too many?) so I was a bit lost. But then suddenly things fell into place and started moving forward.
Overall, I thought it was a good, entertaining read.
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