What do you think?
Rate this book
Degrees of Darkness
First published in 2017, now republished in 2021.
From the bestselling author of the addictive DI Bliss series and the compelling standalone novel, Fifteen Coffins, comes a dark, psychological journey into the nightmare world of a serial killer.
Nothing is ever entirely black or white.
Pre-teen girls are being abducted from their homes and their families murdered. When Frank Rogers, ex-DI with the Metropolitan Police, is told that his own daughter is missing, his son a victim, he sets aside his grief to help old colleagues investigate the case.
Soon Frank’s face is all over the news. And in an unexpected turn of events, the killer contacts the police to say he is willing to talk. But only to Frank.
When the body of the first abducted girl is discovered, Frank realises the investigation has become a race against time to save his daughter’s life.
In order to solve the case, Frank must work out how the killer is choosing his victims. To do that, he must first enter the killer’s mind. But is Frank able to drag himself into its darker reaches? And if so, will he be able to pull himself back?
From the bestselling author of the addictive DI Bliss series and the compelling standalone novel, Fifteen Coffins, comes a dark, psychological journey into the nightmare world of a serial killer.
Nothing is ever entirely black or white.
Pre-teen girls are being abducted from their homes and their families murdered. When Frank Rogers, ex-DI with the Metropolitan Police, is told that his own daughter is missing, his son a victim, he sets aside his grief to help old colleagues investigate the case.
Soon Frank’s face is all over the news. And in an unexpected turn of events, the killer contacts the police to say he is willing to talk. But only to Frank.
When the body of the first abducted girl is discovered, Frank realises the investigation has become a race against time to save his daughter’s life.
In order to solve the case, Frank must work out how the killer is choosing his victims. To do that, he must first enter the killer’s mind. But is Frank able to drag himself into its darker reaches? And if so, will he be able to pull himself back?
410 pages, Paperback
Published September 19, 2017
155 people are currently reading
205 people want to read
About the author
Tony J. Forder
48 books232 followersTony J Forder is the author of the bestselling DI Bliss crime thriller series. Bad to the Bone, The Scent of Guilt, If Fear Wins, The Reach of Shadows, The Death of Justice, Endless Silent Scream, Slow Slicing, The Autumn Tree, Darker Days to Come, The Lightning Rod, What Dies Inside Us, Something More to Say, and The Honourable Rogue. There is also a prequel novella available called Bliss Uncovered.
Tony’s other books include two action-adventure thrillers, Scream Blue Murder and Cold Winter Sun, featuring reluctant hero Mike Lynch. Also, The Huntsmen and The Predators, feature DS Royston Chase, DC Claire Laney, and PCSO Alison May, both police procedural novels set in Wiltshire. In addition, Tony has written two standalone novels: a dark, psychological crime thriller, Degrees of Darkness, and a suspense thriller set in California, Fifteen Coffins.
Tony's first 8 novels were originally released by a publisher specialising in crime fiction. In 2020, Tony decided to strike out on his own, and subsequently negotiated the return of all publishing rights to himself. Each of those 8 books has subsequently been re-released under his own imprint, Spare Nib Books.
Tony lives with his wife in West Sussex, UK, and is a full-time author. His first love was music, and he is currently gobbling up as many remastered vinyl albums as he can. Tony has played guitar since his early childhood, and despite selling off his collection at one point he has somehow managed to reacquire a new range and is up to 5 without knowing how.
Tony is currently working on Jimmy Bliss books #14, The Stonemason’s Song.
Links
All of Tony’s links can be found on Linktree: https://linktr.ee/TonyJForder
Tony’s other books include two action-adventure thrillers, Scream Blue Murder and Cold Winter Sun, featuring reluctant hero Mike Lynch. Also, The Huntsmen and The Predators, feature DS Royston Chase, DC Claire Laney, and PCSO Alison May, both police procedural novels set in Wiltshire. In addition, Tony has written two standalone novels: a dark, psychological crime thriller, Degrees of Darkness, and a suspense thriller set in California, Fifteen Coffins.
Tony's first 8 novels were originally released by a publisher specialising in crime fiction. In 2020, Tony decided to strike out on his own, and subsequently negotiated the return of all publishing rights to himself. Each of those 8 books has subsequently been re-released under his own imprint, Spare Nib Books.
Tony lives with his wife in West Sussex, UK, and is a full-time author. His first love was music, and he is currently gobbling up as many remastered vinyl albums as he can. Tony has played guitar since his early childhood, and despite selling off his collection at one point he has somehow managed to reacquire a new range and is up to 5 without knowing how.
Tony is currently working on Jimmy Bliss books #14, The Stonemason’s Song.
Links
All of Tony’s links can be found on Linktree: https://linktr.ee/TonyJForder
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
February 5, 2019
Nasty and dark at times I really enjoyed this story of ex detective Frank finding himself looking for a serial killer who killed his wife and son and abducted his daughter. The usual need to suspend belief in what would really happen if an ex cop got highly involved in a case with a conflict of interest obviously! There really are "Degrees of Darkness" here and some of them are Frank's. I got easily drawn in to this story and found it quite hard to put down. I'll read more of Forder's work when I can - good enjoyable read.
July 2, 2019
Yikes what a story. Firstly I've not heard of this author before so I'm super excited to find another fab author I can stalk I mean follow lol
From start to finish I felt I was reading this in the edge of my seat while holding my breath. It really is that kinda read. My heart broke for Frank and I admired how brave he was. I found this story had a wide range of characters, some I love others I hated.
If your looking for a gripping read then I really do recommend this read. I found this to be a compelling yet gruesome read. Great praise to this author. I'm looking forward to reading more from him.
From start to finish I felt I was reading this in the edge of my seat while holding my breath. It really is that kinda read. My heart broke for Frank and I admired how brave he was. I found this story had a wide range of characters, some I love others I hated.
If your looking for a gripping read then I really do recommend this read. I found this to be a compelling yet gruesome read. Great praise to this author. I'm looking forward to reading more from him.
September 19, 2017
Degrees of Darkness is definitely the perfect title for this story.
Frank, my heart went out to. To lose one child and to have the other abducted is just heart breaking. Having his daughter out there somewhere does give him a reason to keep on going though.
I loved the working relationship between Frank and Zoe. It brings some much welcome relief to the horrors that are within these pages. Zoe really is a great character and was so pleased she is part of Franks life.
Its hard to go to much into Laura's story in this without fear of giving part of the story away. For her age though she is a sensible kid and was great to see so much fight in her. My heart also broke for what she was going through and I just wanted to wrap my arms around her.
Degrees of Darkness is a gripping read that I felt compelled to finish. It does make for uncomfortable reading in parts but I felt I owed it to Frank and Laura to see how it ends and I'm so glad I did. If you like a sick and twisted serial killer then they really don't come more twisted than in this book. A definite must read for fans of this genre.
Frank, my heart went out to. To lose one child and to have the other abducted is just heart breaking. Having his daughter out there somewhere does give him a reason to keep on going though.
I loved the working relationship between Frank and Zoe. It brings some much welcome relief to the horrors that are within these pages. Zoe really is a great character and was so pleased she is part of Franks life.
Its hard to go to much into Laura's story in this without fear of giving part of the story away. For her age though she is a sensible kid and was great to see so much fight in her. My heart also broke for what she was going through and I just wanted to wrap my arms around her.
Degrees of Darkness is a gripping read that I felt compelled to finish. It does make for uncomfortable reading in parts but I felt I owed it to Frank and Laura to see how it ends and I'm so glad I did. If you like a sick and twisted serial killer then they really don't come more twisted than in this book. A definite must read for fans of this genre.
April 6, 2021
After seeing this book being discussed in a Facebook book group, and finding the comments about it interesting, I decided to pick up a copy. And I'm glad that I did.
Forder must have had to have gone through some degrees of darkness whilst writing this book as it covers some disturbing and evil behaviours. Child abuse is never easy to read about, but Forder suggests and implies rather than giving the reader all the details.
One of the most destressing things about the story is that it could happen, with people behaving just like the criminals, police and victims do here. I could understand why Frank approached things the way he did and was really pleased with his decisions towards the end of the book.
This is one of those books where using the word 'enjoyed' may not be the right way to describe how I feel about it. Instead, I was really impressed with how it was written, and know that the bad guy in is one of the creepiest and most deluded that I've 'met' whilst reading.
If you like your crime/psychological fiction on the dark side, I recommend this book.
Forder must have had to have gone through some degrees of darkness whilst writing this book as it covers some disturbing and evil behaviours. Child abuse is never easy to read about, but Forder suggests and implies rather than giving the reader all the details.
One of the most destressing things about the story is that it could happen, with people behaving just like the criminals, police and victims do here. I could understand why Frank approached things the way he did and was really pleased with his decisions towards the end of the book.
This is one of those books where using the word 'enjoyed' may not be the right way to describe how I feel about it. Instead, I was really impressed with how it was written, and know that the bad guy in is one of the creepiest and most deluded that I've 'met' whilst reading.
If you like your crime/psychological fiction on the dark side, I recommend this book.
September 20, 2017
Rating 5 out of 5 stars
I will start with what I thought was wrong with this book and that is NOTHING. It starts on the very first page with a Mother’s instinct that something is not quite right and on some level having the feeling that her children are in danger. From there we enter the dark side and there is no let up. Tony has created a character who is evilness personified and having children involved knocks the adrenaline up a few more notches. The book is well written gripping and gets right into your mind and feelings as you are taken on a fast paced journey through a book it is impossible to put down. There were parts of the book where I felt I really couldn’t face any more evil but you keep reading because the story compels you to do so.
The characters are absolutely perfect. The author has built compassion and a dogged determination to survive into complex and realistic characters. He takes this realism to a whole new level as we learn how much a person can endure before there comes a breaking point and how that breaking point can cause a domino effect of actions that it is difficult to stop.
I especially like the way that ‘happy ever after’ is not a forgone conclusion.
An absolutely brilliant page turner that will give the reader much to think about.
I will start with what I thought was wrong with this book and that is NOTHING. It starts on the very first page with a Mother’s instinct that something is not quite right and on some level having the feeling that her children are in danger. From there we enter the dark side and there is no let up. Tony has created a character who is evilness personified and having children involved knocks the adrenaline up a few more notches. The book is well written gripping and gets right into your mind and feelings as you are taken on a fast paced journey through a book it is impossible to put down. There were parts of the book where I felt I really couldn’t face any more evil but you keep reading because the story compels you to do so.
The characters are absolutely perfect. The author has built compassion and a dogged determination to survive into complex and realistic characters. He takes this realism to a whole new level as we learn how much a person can endure before there comes a breaking point and how that breaking point can cause a domino effect of actions that it is difficult to stop.
I especially like the way that ‘happy ever after’ is not a forgone conclusion.
An absolutely brilliant page turner that will give the reader much to think about.
September 19, 2017
Frank’s world takes a shattering turn downward when his ex-wife and son are murdered by a vicious killer, who has taken his daughter, Laura. To what purpose Frank is terrified to find out. But, to find his daughter, he has to know.
| Introduction |
When DCI Nicky Loizou visits his friend, ex-cop Frank Rogers, Frank knows that he is the bearer of bad news. But even he could not predict just how his life will be turned upside down by the horrendous acts of a vicious killer who, after murdering his ex-wife and son, has also abducted his daughter, Laura. Every day with the sick psychopath brings the threat of torture and a painful death nearer to Laura. How will she cope? Is Frank able to hunt down the cold-blooded murderer before it is too late?
| Storyline |
Just a normal day at the office is what Frank thinks when he looks through his office window. After his career with the Police abruptly ended, Frank started his Alpha Debt Collecting Agency and, truth be told, he found it just about bearable, nowhere near the life he once pictured for himself. If he but knew that his life was going to spiral downwards so fast he could not hold on to anything but a glimmer of hope… When Nicky enters the office, Frank is enthusiastic until it hits him: Nicky is here for a reason. Frank’s son, his ex-wife and her husband have been slaughtered. The only one whose body and blood was not found at the crime scene: that of his teenage daughter, Laura. Unfortunately for Frank, Detective Superintendent Colin Foster, who has a personal grudge against Frank and is, in the latter’s eyes, a most incompetent Detective, leads the investigation.
In his devastation, Frank challenges Foster. Not such a good move, perhaps, but how could he hold back with the grief for his son and the agony of not knowing what has happened to his daughter, Laura. He feels sick and the thoughts keep tumbling in his mind, rendering him powerless. This must be rock bottom – but it is not. The perpetrator is in all probability a serial killer and abductor, “the most malevolent of creatures.” Laura is the seventh girl that has been taken and all those seven families have been brutally slaughtered within the last half year. What choice does Frank have other than to take matters into his own hand? When your son has been murdered and your teenage daughter abducted by what looks like a vicious and cold-blooded serial killer, there is no alternative. To know more about the killer and to what purpose the girls are abducted, Frank has to find a way into the psychopath’s dark mind…
| My Thoughts |
What a gruesome thriller! I loved it and hated it! Degrees of Darkness – a sublime title for the book but I cannot even begin telling you why because that would be giving everything away. In fact, this thriller was very difficult to review because all you want to tell is in danger of spoiling the plot. Let me just say that is expertly written. The author takes us on a tumultuous and gripping ride that you cannot step out of until you have reached the end. Frank Rogers is a great protagonist but, despite his coping with his sorrow, I sometimes wanted to shake him when he went in yet another pub. Do not do that – your daughter is out there, I wanted to scream because, unlike Frank, we know what is happening and it makes our blood turn ice cold. Then again, Frank has the cunning ability to analyse situations and to perceive insights into the psychopath killer’s mind.
I loved the other characters, his friend, Nicky, who would do almost anything for him, Debbie, a friend of the Rogers’ family and still friends with Frank (she is lovely, what a woman!) and of course Laura, the teenager so brave and wise for her age yet with no clue what she is up against. There are a few more characters, not all good… Again, the topic raises questions on nurture and nature and it is fascinating to read about the influences here. Perhaps nurture facilitates and accelerates nature’s deeply hidden darker inclinations. Degrees of Darkness is an engrossing and haunting thriller!
Read the review on my website: https://www.bitsaboutbooks.net/degree...
| Introduction |
When DCI Nicky Loizou visits his friend, ex-cop Frank Rogers, Frank knows that he is the bearer of bad news. But even he could not predict just how his life will be turned upside down by the horrendous acts of a vicious killer who, after murdering his ex-wife and son, has also abducted his daughter, Laura. Every day with the sick psychopath brings the threat of torture and a painful death nearer to Laura. How will she cope? Is Frank able to hunt down the cold-blooded murderer before it is too late?
| Storyline |
Just a normal day at the office is what Frank thinks when he looks through his office window. After his career with the Police abruptly ended, Frank started his Alpha Debt Collecting Agency and, truth be told, he found it just about bearable, nowhere near the life he once pictured for himself. If he but knew that his life was going to spiral downwards so fast he could not hold on to anything but a glimmer of hope… When Nicky enters the office, Frank is enthusiastic until it hits him: Nicky is here for a reason. Frank’s son, his ex-wife and her husband have been slaughtered. The only one whose body and blood was not found at the crime scene: that of his teenage daughter, Laura. Unfortunately for Frank, Detective Superintendent Colin Foster, who has a personal grudge against Frank and is, in the latter’s eyes, a most incompetent Detective, leads the investigation.
In his devastation, Frank challenges Foster. Not such a good move, perhaps, but how could he hold back with the grief for his son and the agony of not knowing what has happened to his daughter, Laura. He feels sick and the thoughts keep tumbling in his mind, rendering him powerless. This must be rock bottom – but it is not. The perpetrator is in all probability a serial killer and abductor, “the most malevolent of creatures.” Laura is the seventh girl that has been taken and all those seven families have been brutally slaughtered within the last half year. What choice does Frank have other than to take matters into his own hand? When your son has been murdered and your teenage daughter abducted by what looks like a vicious and cold-blooded serial killer, there is no alternative. To know more about the killer and to what purpose the girls are abducted, Frank has to find a way into the psychopath’s dark mind…
| My Thoughts |
What a gruesome thriller! I loved it and hated it! Degrees of Darkness – a sublime title for the book but I cannot even begin telling you why because that would be giving everything away. In fact, this thriller was very difficult to review because all you want to tell is in danger of spoiling the plot. Let me just say that is expertly written. The author takes us on a tumultuous and gripping ride that you cannot step out of until you have reached the end. Frank Rogers is a great protagonist but, despite his coping with his sorrow, I sometimes wanted to shake him when he went in yet another pub. Do not do that – your daughter is out there, I wanted to scream because, unlike Frank, we know what is happening and it makes our blood turn ice cold. Then again, Frank has the cunning ability to analyse situations and to perceive insights into the psychopath killer’s mind.
I loved the other characters, his friend, Nicky, who would do almost anything for him, Debbie, a friend of the Rogers’ family and still friends with Frank (she is lovely, what a woman!) and of course Laura, the teenager so brave and wise for her age yet with no clue what she is up against. There are a few more characters, not all good… Again, the topic raises questions on nurture and nature and it is fascinating to read about the influences here. Perhaps nurture facilitates and accelerates nature’s deeply hidden darker inclinations. Degrees of Darkness is an engrossing and haunting thriller!
Read the review on my website: https://www.bitsaboutbooks.net/degree...
January 28, 2021
Wow ! I loved this book. I like my reading dark and in Degrees of Darkness I got exactly what it says on the tin. The deeper I read, the darker it got. But then, how could it not when you have a devious serial killer entering peoples homes, killing the entire family, bar a daughter, who he then abducts?
Add to the mix, the need for the killer to be recognised - to boast about his deeds and a distraught father whois also an ex-cop(Frank Rogers) and you have an explosive cat and mouse game in play.
The killers mind set is explored brilliantly through chapters dedicated to him, his motivations and his gross deeds. Whilst the sections written from the point of view of his latest victim, Frank Rogers' daughter show her escalating fear as the knowledge that she will die begins to sink in.
The plotting on this one was tight, taking the reader furhter into the darkness as Frank Rogers is pushed to the very edge of his humanity.
A brilliant exploration of the human mind and just how far people can be pushed in extreme circumstances.
I do hope this will become a series, as I am desperate to continue into the darkness with Frank Rogers
Add to the mix, the need for the killer to be recognised - to boast about his deeds and a distraught father whois also an ex-cop(Frank Rogers) and you have an explosive cat and mouse game in play.
The killers mind set is explored brilliantly through chapters dedicated to him, his motivations and his gross deeds. Whilst the sections written from the point of view of his latest victim, Frank Rogers' daughter show her escalating fear as the knowledge that she will die begins to sink in.
The plotting on this one was tight, taking the reader furhter into the darkness as Frank Rogers is pushed to the very edge of his humanity.
A brilliant exploration of the human mind and just how far people can be pushed in extreme circumstances.
I do hope this will become a series, as I am desperate to continue into the darkness with Frank Rogers
July 6, 2023
I liked the plot, but it was dragging the wrong way for me.
It might have been the narrator of the audiobook making me feel this way though. I liked his regular/basic narration, but every characters voice except from the protagonist and the antagonist was unbearable for me to listen too.
That said, I can't argue Forder isn't a great writer, because he is!
It might have been the narrator of the audiobook making me feel this way though. I liked his regular/basic narration, but every characters voice except from the protagonist and the antagonist was unbearable for me to listen too.
That said, I can't argue Forder isn't a great writer, because he is!
September 21, 2017
This is an awesome read that for me that put it on a scare factor alongside Stephen King and Thomas Harris. The heart breaking opening will make most readers just stand back and take a breath. Frightening, terrifying and imprinted on your mind for every time you say goodnight to your children before you double-check and triple check your doors are locked and bolted again.
What a fabulous story from the opening scene it just exploded into a world of pure crazy in the mind of one of the most damaged and twisted serial killers that I have read. Whoa this person has such an agenda, nothing is random, he has reasoning and purpose but best of all he now has a play mate to taunt.
Frank Rogers left his career of DI with the Met behind him when he started his own Debt Collecting Agency, along with his family when his wife took up with another bloke and set up home with Franks two children Gary and Laura. A break in to his estranged wife’s home leaves her, her partner and his son brutally murdered and his daughter taken by a madman that leaves no trace of himself behind. There is already a trial of heart break through this city where this killer has struck a number of times.
Now the killer doesn’t just have Frank’s daughter, he wants to play and demands that the only person he will talk to is Frank. Neither really know what they are letting themselves in for because they are both at the top of the league at what they do best. It makes for a hundred mile an hour read with no pit stop in sight!
This really is a writer at his best. Although gruesome at times it all adds to the intense race to find out how and why these brutal killings and abductions are taking place. Loved the characters and although Tony Forder has produced stand alone novels before I would really love to see more of Frank in future books. Loved it! loved it! Loved it!
What a fabulous story from the opening scene it just exploded into a world of pure crazy in the mind of one of the most damaged and twisted serial killers that I have read. Whoa this person has such an agenda, nothing is random, he has reasoning and purpose but best of all he now has a play mate to taunt.
Frank Rogers left his career of DI with the Met behind him when he started his own Debt Collecting Agency, along with his family when his wife took up with another bloke and set up home with Franks two children Gary and Laura. A break in to his estranged wife’s home leaves her, her partner and his son brutally murdered and his daughter taken by a madman that leaves no trace of himself behind. There is already a trial of heart break through this city where this killer has struck a number of times.
Now the killer doesn’t just have Frank’s daughter, he wants to play and demands that the only person he will talk to is Frank. Neither really know what they are letting themselves in for because they are both at the top of the league at what they do best. It makes for a hundred mile an hour read with no pit stop in sight!
This really is a writer at his best. Although gruesome at times it all adds to the intense race to find out how and why these brutal killings and abductions are taking place. Loved the characters and although Tony Forder has produced stand alone novels before I would really love to see more of Frank in future books. Loved it! loved it! Loved it!
September 21, 2017
I was hooked on this book pretty quickly, literally a few pages and there I was, Hooked! It was as I read about a killer being in the house of the victim. What unfolds after that is a brutal psychological game of cat and mouse between an ex-cop and the killer.
Frank is the ex-cop and it is his own daughter that is the latest missing victim, his son is one of the murdered victims, along Frank’s ex-wife. This killer is very clever at leaving no evidence for the police to go on, due to this he is able to taunt Frank and the police, feeding titbits of information on his own terms. The media have taken up the story and this just adds to fuel the game the killer plays.
This book is simply brilliant from start to finish. I loved everything about it, from the memorable, unique and identifiable characters to the wonderfully deep, twisted and well thought-out plot. The characters I could almost imagine off the pages, some I loathed some I really liked. The pacing fits this story perfectly, keeping the pressure on the reader to read and not pause, at times the pace slows at the more descriptive sections, it was almost as if these were breathing stops and I was given a chance to arrange my thoughts.
Yes this is a psychological thriller and it fits perfectly into this genre. The plot is very well laid out and leads you through the story to a satisfactory ending. There was no point in the story that I had any idea of identities until the author allowed me to know, there were a couple of red herrings, that made my heart sink when I came across them, I was so glad I was wrong. Also added into this murder and abduction story, is the story of the killer and his history, experiences, ideologies and outlook on life, it gives the reader a glimpse into a the mind of the killer.
I would highly recommend this book to readers who like their psychological thrillers to be dark and sinister, with layers of plots. If this is you …..Get this book, you will not be disappointed.
My thoughts here are my own and are unbiased.
Frank is the ex-cop and it is his own daughter that is the latest missing victim, his son is one of the murdered victims, along Frank’s ex-wife. This killer is very clever at leaving no evidence for the police to go on, due to this he is able to taunt Frank and the police, feeding titbits of information on his own terms. The media have taken up the story and this just adds to fuel the game the killer plays.
This book is simply brilliant from start to finish. I loved everything about it, from the memorable, unique and identifiable characters to the wonderfully deep, twisted and well thought-out plot. The characters I could almost imagine off the pages, some I loathed some I really liked. The pacing fits this story perfectly, keeping the pressure on the reader to read and not pause, at times the pace slows at the more descriptive sections, it was almost as if these were breathing stops and I was given a chance to arrange my thoughts.
Yes this is a psychological thriller and it fits perfectly into this genre. The plot is very well laid out and leads you through the story to a satisfactory ending. There was no point in the story that I had any idea of identities until the author allowed me to know, there were a couple of red herrings, that made my heart sink when I came across them, I was so glad I was wrong. Also added into this murder and abduction story, is the story of the killer and his history, experiences, ideologies and outlook on life, it gives the reader a glimpse into a the mind of the killer.
I would highly recommend this book to readers who like their psychological thrillers to be dark and sinister, with layers of plots. If this is you …..Get this book, you will not be disappointed.
My thoughts here are my own and are unbiased.
June 11, 2020
This is the first book I have read by Tony J. Forder. It wasn't even on my evergrowing 'to be read pile' but here I am with a book hangover! When a serial killer of the worst kind strikes it becomes a race against time and mind games for ex-detective Frank Rogers. Families destroyed and lives shattered from beginning to end. The depths of some people's sick minds should never be delved into, but when they are, the horrors and vileness that is stirred up makes for an exasperating read. I have never held my breath so much whilst turning the pages of a book. My stomach lurched and tears welled in my eyes yet I could not put it down.
February 16, 2021
This is the republication of a book I missed first time around. The killer is very clever and it appears impossible to catch him out. He’s killing whole families in order to abduct their pre-teen daughters. Several times I thought he’d be caught but each time I was wrong. It’s a great thriller but it asks deeper questions. Do we have to become like our adversaries in order to bring them down? This is an amazing example of storytelling at its best. Tony Forder is an author who can’t write fast enough for me!
November 11, 2017
Had me hooked from the outset. Strong characters and no-nonsense descriptions kept the story rolling. Chilling and wonderfully suspenseful. Phew.
October 16, 2017
A fantastic gruesome thriller. I was drawn in from the start with the ominous feeling of what was about to happen. The gruesome murder of a family. The family is that of Frank Rogers, his estranged wife Janet, his son Gary and Janet's partner are brutally murdered. Daughter Laura has been abducted. Yet this family is not the first to be murdered and the daughter abducted. Frank is a former detective and assists the police in trying to find his daughter . The tension and suspense throughout was nerve wracking as this plot unfolded. Degrees of Darkness is an excellent read and it is one of my favourite books this year.
February 6, 2021
I'm a huge fan of Tony J. Forder's books but until now haven't managed to read Degrees of Darkness which was originally published in 2017. However, it has now been re-issued as a self-published novel and so I decided it was the perfect time to rectify that omission.
I've read some dark books in my time and Degrees of Darkness will be joining my list of novels that I loved but will recommend with caution. This is a graphic, harrowing read and as the killer's victims are pre-teen girls, I can appreciate why some people will decide it's not for them. That said, it is not ever gratuitous or exploitative; most of the abuse and violence is implied or revealed retrospectively.
When former Metropolitan Police DI Frank Rogers learns his ex-wife and son have been brutally slaughtered and his daughter, Laura kidnapped, he is now on the outside of the sort of investigation he would once have led, and in the awful position of being a family member who knows more than usual about how cases like this work - and how vital it is that the right person is in charge. It quickly becomes obvious that he was never one to kowtow to authorities and that nothing is going to stop him hunting down the person who has his daughter. It's impossible not to warm to Frank, his grief is crushing and yet he realises that he is the best person to work out who the killer is.
Some of the chapters follow the murderer's perspective and it's hard to fully explain the depths of their depravity without giving too much away. Laura isn't the only victim but the same horrific fate undoubtedly awaits her if she isn't found soon. Although the serial killer has been active for months, the action here takes place over a few days and the urgency of the investigation, as the bodies of the other girls begin to be discovered, makes for a fast-paced, gripping read.
This isn't just about the desperate search for Laura before it's too late, however, and it's the perceptive, heartbreaking exploration of the mental anguish of such a case and indeed what drives a person into darkness that makes Degrees of Darkness so compelling. Frank's torture is almost palpable as he recognises the moral dilemmas he faces even as he contemplates what life will be like for him going forward, with or without Laura in it. He makes some difficult, arguably contentious decisions during the course of the novel but though we may feel alarmed as to what the eventual ramifications will be, it's always easy to empathise with him. It's not just his agony that we feel though, and from the brave, resilient Laura's fears through to the emotional scars left on the officers investigating the case, Tony J. Forder's honest, insightful writing ensures this is a deeply affecting novel.
I realise I've avoided discussing the killer in any depth in this review and that's a conscious decision as it's important to discover their identity and what their shocking intentions are through reading the book. However, I can say that I thought the examination of what led them to such terrible, wicked darkness is both shocking and distressing.
Degrees of Darkness is an addictive, powerful, poignant thriller which understands that the emotional repercussions endure beyond the conclusion of an investigation. Highly recommended.
I've read some dark books in my time and Degrees of Darkness will be joining my list of novels that I loved but will recommend with caution. This is a graphic, harrowing read and as the killer's victims are pre-teen girls, I can appreciate why some people will decide it's not for them. That said, it is not ever gratuitous or exploitative; most of the abuse and violence is implied or revealed retrospectively.
When former Metropolitan Police DI Frank Rogers learns his ex-wife and son have been brutally slaughtered and his daughter, Laura kidnapped, he is now on the outside of the sort of investigation he would once have led, and in the awful position of being a family member who knows more than usual about how cases like this work - and how vital it is that the right person is in charge. It quickly becomes obvious that he was never one to kowtow to authorities and that nothing is going to stop him hunting down the person who has his daughter. It's impossible not to warm to Frank, his grief is crushing and yet he realises that he is the best person to work out who the killer is.
Some of the chapters follow the murderer's perspective and it's hard to fully explain the depths of their depravity without giving too much away. Laura isn't the only victim but the same horrific fate undoubtedly awaits her if she isn't found soon. Although the serial killer has been active for months, the action here takes place over a few days and the urgency of the investigation, as the bodies of the other girls begin to be discovered, makes for a fast-paced, gripping read.
This isn't just about the desperate search for Laura before it's too late, however, and it's the perceptive, heartbreaking exploration of the mental anguish of such a case and indeed what drives a person into darkness that makes Degrees of Darkness so compelling. Frank's torture is almost palpable as he recognises the moral dilemmas he faces even as he contemplates what life will be like for him going forward, with or without Laura in it. He makes some difficult, arguably contentious decisions during the course of the novel but though we may feel alarmed as to what the eventual ramifications will be, it's always easy to empathise with him. It's not just his agony that we feel though, and from the brave, resilient Laura's fears through to the emotional scars left on the officers investigating the case, Tony J. Forder's honest, insightful writing ensures this is a deeply affecting novel.
I realise I've avoided discussing the killer in any depth in this review and that's a conscious decision as it's important to discover their identity and what their shocking intentions are through reading the book. However, I can say that I thought the examination of what led them to such terrible, wicked darkness is both shocking and distressing.
Degrees of Darkness is an addictive, powerful, poignant thriller which understands that the emotional repercussions endure beyond the conclusion of an investigation. Highly recommended.
October 27, 2017
Chilling!
As there are degrees of darkness, so there are degrees of evil and, in this book, the perpetrator has attained the highest degree of both evil and inhumanity.
When Janet Rogers turns off the lights and goes to bed she feels a strange unease; three hours later she, her partner and her nine-year-old son are dead and her daughter, Laura, is missing.
The next day, Frank Rogers, ex-police detective and now debt collector, gets a visit from his friend and ex-partner Nicky Loizou and the news isn't good. Despite the best efforts of Detective Superintendent Colin Foster, an old enemy, Frank gains access to the murder scene and is co-opted onto the team as a 'special' detective.
What follows is graphic, twisted and obscene as it becomes clear that this is a serial killer who has struck six times before; and each time a girl aged ten to twelve has gone missing. To date, none has been found.
Frank, Nicky and the team are pulled into a desperate game of cat and mouse as the murderer amuses himself telling Frank what he has been doing with Laura, and what he will be doing. He also leaves them 'gifts'.
I am a regular reader of crime thrillers and am not easily shocked, but this novel horrified me in terms of the murderer's character and actions. It is clear that he has desperately damaged himself, but the enormity of his actions made any kind of sympathy impossible.
This is an action-packed page-turner with wholly convincing characters set into a clear plot. The writing is excellent and the subject matter perhaps too well described.
It reminded me very much of the writing of Thomas Harris in its dramatic impact.
Pashtpaws
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.
As there are degrees of darkness, so there are degrees of evil and, in this book, the perpetrator has attained the highest degree of both evil and inhumanity.
When Janet Rogers turns off the lights and goes to bed she feels a strange unease; three hours later she, her partner and her nine-year-old son are dead and her daughter, Laura, is missing.
The next day, Frank Rogers, ex-police detective and now debt collector, gets a visit from his friend and ex-partner Nicky Loizou and the news isn't good. Despite the best efforts of Detective Superintendent Colin Foster, an old enemy, Frank gains access to the murder scene and is co-opted onto the team as a 'special' detective.
What follows is graphic, twisted and obscene as it becomes clear that this is a serial killer who has struck six times before; and each time a girl aged ten to twelve has gone missing. To date, none has been found.
Frank, Nicky and the team are pulled into a desperate game of cat and mouse as the murderer amuses himself telling Frank what he has been doing with Laura, and what he will be doing. He also leaves them 'gifts'.
I am a regular reader of crime thrillers and am not easily shocked, but this novel horrified me in terms of the murderer's character and actions. It is clear that he has desperately damaged himself, but the enormity of his actions made any kind of sympathy impossible.
This is an action-packed page-turner with wholly convincing characters set into a clear plot. The writing is excellent and the subject matter perhaps too well described.
It reminded me very much of the writing of Thomas Harris in its dramatic impact.
Pashtpaws
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.
November 1, 2019
EXCEPTIONAL GRIPPING READ!!!
DEGREES OF DARKNESS Should be called DEGREES OF SUSPENSE. From the first gruesome, terrifying moments your heart's in your throat. Then it's so realistic, you're living with the characters and there are brief moments of respite only to have the agonizing memories of what's happened and the horrifying thoughts about what's looming and ongoing come rushing back chilling you to the bone. Life continues as a hair-raising, horrendous race against time and a sinister, formidable opponent. Heart racing, soul crushing and heart stopping you won't be able to turn the pages fast enough.
ADD A 🌟 ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS I'VE READ
DEGREES OF DARKNESS IS OUTSTANDING!!
I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT'S NEXT!!
DEGREES OF DARKNESS Should be called DEGREES OF SUSPENSE. From the first gruesome, terrifying moments your heart's in your throat. Then it's so realistic, you're living with the characters and there are brief moments of respite only to have the agonizing memories of what's happened and the horrifying thoughts about what's looming and ongoing come rushing back chilling you to the bone. Life continues as a hair-raising, horrendous race against time and a sinister, formidable opponent. Heart racing, soul crushing and heart stopping you won't be able to turn the pages fast enough.
ADD A 🌟 ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS I'VE READ
DEGREES OF DARKNESS IS OUTSTANDING!!
I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT'S NEXT!!
February 15, 2021
I'm a Tony Forder fan so knew this book would be great but I wasn't expecting the fasten your seatbelt trip to the dark side that I experienced. This started immediately and only let me go once I'd finished the last page. The story is that of a monster playing games with a heartbroken, retired policeman. The imagery is enough to break your heart and leave you scared while the attention to detail in the back story creates an uncomfortable empathy as well as being tragic and disturbing. The journey of hunting a monster and becoming a monster is totally enthralling and dark and i couldn't stop until I'd read every word. Recommend whole heartedly
October 4, 2017
This is a thrilling and chilling read from start to finish and certainly not one for the faint-hearted. Frank was once a cop who gave it up to become a debt collector; when his ex-wife and son are murdered and his daughter is snatched, he is drafted back into the force to help to solve the case. It soon becomes clear that this pattern of crime has happened several times before, and Frank and his former colleague Nicky, now a DCI, face a race against time to locate Laura, Frank's daughter, before she is killed. Gruesome and fascinating, this fast-paced novel grips throughout and is warmly recommended.
June 29, 2019
oh my god what a great book I really really enjoyed this stand alone it had me gripped before I was even 20% in . but am not putting any spoilers but if you want an edge of your seat murder mystery and a book that gives you tons of omg moments as it did me then go for it you wont regret it!
February 12, 2021
Well one hell of a roller coaster
From the start you it has you gripped and really does make you question what you would do in the same situation. I don't wish to ruin the story but it is amazing how evil can touch innocent lives and then the evil spreads. Incredible psychological thriller that makes your mind spin at times. Don't think anyone is the same after you read the story of so much horror and sorrow. But then would recommend it to everyone, and see how you feel after.
From the start you it has you gripped and really does make you question what you would do in the same situation. I don't wish to ruin the story but it is amazing how evil can touch innocent lives and then the evil spreads. Incredible psychological thriller that makes your mind spin at times. Don't think anyone is the same after you read the story of so much horror and sorrow. But then would recommend it to everyone, and see how you feel after.
February 14, 2021
OMG
Dark..horrific.. Unsettling... But truly brilliant. This book takes you to the edge and back..graphically detailed and not for the faint hearted. One if the best books I have read for a long time!
Dark..horrific.. Unsettling... But truly brilliant. This book takes you to the edge and back..graphically detailed and not for the faint hearted. One if the best books I have read for a long time!
February 16, 2021
Couldn’t put it down
Started and finished this in one go, it was that good. More please Tony, great story and characters really well written...
Started and finished this in one go, it was that good. More please Tony, great story and characters really well written...
February 25, 2021
Wow!
The darkest book I have ever read yet I couldn't put it down. This being the first novel I could see the basis of DI Bliss in this and the strong characteristic we've come to love. No spoliers from me but set aside a day you'll need it!
The darkest book I have ever read yet I couldn't put it down. This being the first novel I could see the basis of DI Bliss in this and the strong characteristic we've come to love. No spoliers from me but set aside a day you'll need it!
February 15, 2021
Very dark but very good! I honestly couldn’t put it down. Haven’t even had lunch to be able to carry on reading.
February 12, 2021
Couldn't put it down.
Quite a difficult read, but I just couldn't put it down!! I've read long into the night to silly hours but it was well worth it.
Quite a difficult read, but I just couldn't put it down!! I've read long into the night to silly hours but it was well worth it.
February 10, 2021
Flipping heck!
Degrees Of Darkness is perhaps one of the darkest books I've read for a very long time. Extremely well written, thought provoking. A book that stayed with me long after I finished reading it.
Degrees Of Darkness is perhaps one of the darkest books I've read for a very long time. Extremely well written, thought provoking. A book that stayed with me long after I finished reading it.
February 19, 2021
Twisted, dark, addictive, the book was amazing. The title of the book is spot on, I finished this last night and am still thinking about it the next day.
February 8, 2021
Review
Really enjoyed this book. Well written characters. Great twists and turns.
Would love another book with same characters - What happened next.
Really enjoyed this book. Well written characters. Great twists and turns.
Would love another book with same characters - What happened next.
November 3, 2019
3.5 stars
Books like this one always leave me feeling sick. It horrifies me that there really are amoral monsters, like the perpetrator in this novel, wandering around and actively seeking innocent victims to torture and kill for their own pleasure.
I randomly picked up Degrees of Darkness looking for a half-decent book to read, and by the end of the first page I knew I was going to be emotionally invested. Whilst I found the last chapter to be a bit of an anti-climax (and slightly depressing), the rest of Degrees of Darkness had me on tenterhooks. The gradual build-up of suspense and tension was agonising and the chilling acts carried out by the perp left me stunned. It's amazing I have any fingernails left! I felt so sorry for what Frank and Laura had to endure physically, emotionally and mentally.
Zoe, Frank's young assistant, brought some light relief to an otherwise dark read. I loved the working relationship the two had and just wished Zoe had a bigger role in the novel, especially in the second-half where she didn't appear at all. I also liked Detective Nicky, Frank's friend, who was willing to bend the rules to allow Frank to be part of the investigation.
Overall, Degrees of Darkness, was a gruesome thriller. It was dark and gritty, and I was on the edge of my seat the whole time as Frank raced against the clock to find his daughter. This was a book that kept me reading 'just one more chapter'.
Books like this one always leave me feeling sick. It horrifies me that there really are amoral monsters, like the perpetrator in this novel, wandering around and actively seeking innocent victims to torture and kill for their own pleasure.
I randomly picked up Degrees of Darkness looking for a half-decent book to read, and by the end of the first page I knew I was going to be emotionally invested. Whilst I found the last chapter to be a bit of an anti-climax (and slightly depressing), the rest of Degrees of Darkness had me on tenterhooks. The gradual build-up of suspense and tension was agonising and the chilling acts carried out by the perp left me stunned. It's amazing I have any fingernails left! I felt so sorry for what Frank and Laura had to endure physically, emotionally and mentally.
Zoe, Frank's young assistant, brought some light relief to an otherwise dark read. I loved the working relationship the two had and just wished Zoe had a bigger role in the novel, especially in the second-half where she didn't appear at all. I also liked Detective Nicky, Frank's friend, who was willing to bend the rules to allow Frank to be part of the investigation.
Overall, Degrees of Darkness, was a gruesome thriller. It was dark and gritty, and I was on the edge of my seat the whole time as Frank raced against the clock to find his daughter. This was a book that kept me reading 'just one more chapter'.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews