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Dark Pursuit
"Ever hear the dead knocking?"
Novelist Darell Brooke lived for his title as King of Suspense - until an auto accident left him unable to concentrate. Two years later, reclusive and bitter, he wants one thing; to plot a new novel and regain his reputation. Kaitlan Sering, his twenty-two-year-old granddaughter, once lived for drugs. After she stole from Darell, he cut her off. Now she's rebuilding her life.
But in Kaitlan's town two women have been murdered, and she is about to discover a third. She's even more shocked to realize the culprit is her boyfriend, Craig, the police chief's son. Desperate, Kaitlan flees to her estranged grandfather. For over forty years, Darell Brooke has lived suspense. Surely he'll devise a plan to trap the cunning Craig.
Can Darell's muddled mind do it? And - if he tries - with what motivation? For Kaitlan's plight may be the stunning answer to the elusive plot he seeks...
Novelist Darell Brooke lived for his title as King of Suspense - until an auto accident left him unable to concentrate. Two years later, reclusive and bitter, he wants one thing; to plot a new novel and regain his reputation. Kaitlan Sering, his twenty-two-year-old granddaughter, once lived for drugs. After she stole from Darell, he cut her off. Now she's rebuilding her life.
But in Kaitlan's town two women have been murdered, and she is about to discover a third. She's even more shocked to realize the culprit is her boyfriend, Craig, the police chief's son. Desperate, Kaitlan flees to her estranged grandfather. For over forty years, Darell Brooke has lived suspense. Surely he'll devise a plan to trap the cunning Craig.
Can Darell's muddled mind do it? And - if he tries - with what motivation? For Kaitlan's plight may be the stunning answer to the elusive plot he seeks...
288 pages, Paperback
First published November 30, 2008
139 people are currently reading
1308 people want to read
About the author
Brandilyn Collins
62 books633 followersBrandilyn Collins is a best-selling novelist known for her trademark Seatbelt Suspense®--fast-paced, character-driven suspense with myriad twists and an interwoven thread of faith.
Brandilyn is also known for her distinctive book on fiction-writing techniques, Getting Into Character: Seven Secrets a Novelist Can Learn From Actors (John Wiley & Sons). She is a sought-after teacher and speaker at writers' conferences.
Brandilyn is also known for her distinctive book on fiction-writing techniques, Getting Into Character: Seven Secrets a Novelist Can Learn From Actors (John Wiley & Sons). She is a sought-after teacher and speaker at writers' conferences.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 88 reviews
March 21, 2018
Delightful surprise
I admit I stsrted out reading this book with modest expectations. A mindset born, sadly, of many disappointing experiences of "suspense" novels by authors I haven't heard of before. Well, I was very happy to be not only proved wrong but also be entertained and riveted by a superbly written thriller.
Reminiscent of vintage King and Koontz, the author builds genuine suspense in phase after phase of this book, building to a climax at a terrific pace. It is a great indicator when you find yourself shocked to be at the end of the story, having got so swept away by the plot you didn't realise hw much you had read.
To actually describe the plot would spoil it. This is a really excellent suspense novel, written to a high standard. Just read it and let yourself be gripped by it. You won't be disappointed...I wasn't, and I am not easy to impress!
I admit I stsrted out reading this book with modest expectations. A mindset born, sadly, of many disappointing experiences of "suspense" novels by authors I haven't heard of before. Well, I was very happy to be not only proved wrong but also be entertained and riveted by a superbly written thriller.
Reminiscent of vintage King and Koontz, the author builds genuine suspense in phase after phase of this book, building to a climax at a terrific pace. It is a great indicator when you find yourself shocked to be at the end of the story, having got so swept away by the plot you didn't realise hw much you had read.
To actually describe the plot would spoil it. This is a really excellent suspense novel, written to a high standard. Just read it and let yourself be gripped by it. You won't be disappointed...I wasn't, and I am not easy to impress!
July 20, 2018
Dark Pursuit, by Brandilyn Collins, is a thrilling tale about the King of Suspense, author Darell Brooke. A prolific author with ninety-nine novels penned over the course of his 43 year career. He is stuck on his 100th, the pressure of that getting to his now feeble mind.
Meanwhile, his estranged granddaughter is living out her horrific nightmare like a victim from one of his many suspense novels.
After a brief reunion in her darkest hour they plot together on how to save her, save future victims, and get Darell Brooke’s writing back on track.
Brandilyn Collins wrote a good suspense novel here with Dark Pursuit. It was easy to be drawn into and hard to put down. The ending had a twist I didn’t see coming and I always love that in a suspense novel! Dark Pursuit wasn’t my favorite of the novels I’ve read by Collins so far, others have been much more hair-raising and thrilling, but it was definitely a good one.
Meanwhile, his estranged granddaughter is living out her horrific nightmare like a victim from one of his many suspense novels.
After a brief reunion in her darkest hour they plot together on how to save her, save future victims, and get Darell Brooke’s writing back on track.
Brandilyn Collins wrote a good suspense novel here with Dark Pursuit. It was easy to be drawn into and hard to put down. The ending had a twist I didn’t see coming and I always love that in a suspense novel! Dark Pursuit wasn’t my favorite of the novels I’ve read by Collins so far, others have been much more hair-raising and thrilling, but it was definitely a good one.
March 20, 2021
“I came home and found a dead woman on my bed. Strangled. With a piece of black fabric with green stripes. And I’m afraid my boyfriend did it.”
“What that must feel like—to have the life choked out of you. To struggle for that last breath.”
“Always...in one way or another bent on the dark pursuit of some obsession in their lives—only to discover that their private little empires were all in vain and brought only emptiness.”
4.5 Stars Out Of 5
This book hooked me from the beginning chapters all the way to the crazy conclusion. This was one where I definitely didn’t see the ending coming. A lot of good twists. This is the kind of book where I would need to probably read it again to catch all the clues and view it with a greater appreciation. There are some Christian elements in the book, mainly about pursuing the wrong things in life and not the things that matter.
For more reviews, please check out my blog!
https://wadeurspider01.wixsite.com/we...
“What that must feel like—to have the life choked out of you. To struggle for that last breath.”
“Always...in one way or another bent on the dark pursuit of some obsession in their lives—only to discover that their private little empires were all in vain and brought only emptiness.”
4.5 Stars Out Of 5
This book hooked me from the beginning chapters all the way to the crazy conclusion. This was one where I definitely didn’t see the ending coming. A lot of good twists. This is the kind of book where I would need to probably read it again to catch all the clues and view it with a greater appreciation. There are some Christian elements in the book, mainly about pursuing the wrong things in life and not the things that matter.
For more reviews, please check out my blog!
https://wadeurspider01.wixsite.com/we...
January 18, 2014
Collins reputation for writing gripping suspense led me to get this Christian book. Called "Dark Pursuit" it was very dark in giving alternate scenes from the perspective of a developing serial killer. Personally, I don't enjoy reading about serial killers, and had I known I would not have started this. At places it was almost too scary to read...but to find out what happened, I had to finish it.
An very successful but reclusive novelist is struggling to come up with the plot for a new novle. He has not time for this 22 year old granddaughter...but she has no one to turn to when the killer the police are looking for is her boyfriend. She flees to her grandfather for help from this king of suspense.
Much is in doubt as the story unfolds. The characters are complicated and well drawn. I did not see the end coming. 4 of 5
An very successful but reclusive novelist is struggling to come up with the plot for a new novle. He has not time for this 22 year old granddaughter...but she has no one to turn to when the killer the police are looking for is her boyfriend. She flees to her grandfather for help from this king of suspense.
Much is in doubt as the story unfolds. The characters are complicated and well drawn. I did not see the end coming. 4 of 5
April 30, 2013
Love her books!
November 11, 2009
Brandilyn Collins writes Christian suspense novels with the tag-line “Don’t forget to breathe.” Her novel, Dark Pursuit, certainly merits the warning. It’s a story that starts with a quick trip home and just the odd thing out of place, then rushes into murder and mayhem, leaving twenty-two-year-old Kaitlan unsure who to trust. The boyfriend might be a murderer. The novelist grandfather wants nothing to do with her, nor she with him. And the police are more concerned with her past than her security.
Of course, the grandfather’s not just any old novelist. He’s a suspense novelist, with a penchant for setting up scary situations and resolving them. But it’s been a while and the words and the plots won’t come, so it’s with mixed motives that he sets out to help Kaitlan, and with mixed results.
Surprising twists lie in the final scenes. Even if you’ve guessed some of them you probably won’t have predicted everything. I certainly hadn’t.
The dialog creates clearly recognizable characters and relationships, and the story will have you pondering the motivations behind your own pursuits, dark or light, long after it’s finished. I recommend it as an exciting, intriguing read, but don’t forget to breathe.
Of course, the grandfather’s not just any old novelist. He’s a suspense novelist, with a penchant for setting up scary situations and resolving them. But it’s been a while and the words and the plots won’t come, so it’s with mixed motives that he sets out to help Kaitlan, and with mixed results.
Surprising twists lie in the final scenes. Even if you’ve guessed some of them you probably won’t have predicted everything. I certainly hadn’t.
The dialog creates clearly recognizable characters and relationships, and the story will have you pondering the motivations behind your own pursuits, dark or light, long after it’s finished. I recommend it as an exciting, intriguing read, but don’t forget to breathe.
December 6, 2008
Dark Pursuit was a fast paced read with plenty of twists and turns to make the reader dizzy. I had a hard time putting the book down because it kept building and the tension increased with every chapter. But that is how good suspenses are supposed to be. Brandilyn certainly knows how to raise the reader's anxiety level. The spiritual thread seemed naturally woven in to the storyline and I enjoyed every page. The only thing is that at the end I didn't totally buy how things turned out. Call me a skeptic but the foundation for the end didn't seem strong enough to me. Up until that point I was hooked. Now don't get me wrong. It was an amazing read, but short of divulging a spoiler I can't really say what I mean. Nine out of ten people will be fine with the final chapters but it didn't work that way for me. But I tend to be a skeptic anyway and suspense isn't my favorite genre. I think the problem is also that I loved Crimson Eve so much that none of Brandilyn's other stories can top it. :) As far as suspense novelists go, however, Brandilyn is clearly one of the best there is.
January 14, 2010
Talk about your page-turner... This one kept me on the edge of my seat through the entire story. From the very beginning, the author snagged me into the story and didn't let go through to the twist at the end of the book. Readers who enjoy suspenseful material will particularly enjoy the story of what happens when the lines between fiction and real life are blurred. For those that are prone to vivid dreams, this may not be the book for you. For everyone else, I dare you to read it alone at night!
February 6, 2018
An interesting premise thriller. The king of thrillers, author, is greatly diminshed by age and an accident. However, he tries to face down his problems and a real killer targeting a family member. The book moves with a good pace for a thriller - not a crazy, adrenaline rush from beginning to end - but a measured urgency that allows the characters to grow and change. I also think that the implications of faith are well done without being preachy at all. I would definitely read more from this author.
Audio version was too quiet on overall volume, but the reader was mostly good.
Audio version was too quiet on overall volume, but the reader was mostly good.
April 23, 2021
Definitely a thriller, and opening signs of growing faith (though undeveloped) in main characters. Get ready for suspense, as it does offer some nifty twists! Probably closer to a 3.5 - 3.75 rating, though, for me.
June 19, 2019
Ok story. Suspenseful. Woman is estranged from her suspense writer grandfather, but she suspects her boyfriend of murder.
August 18, 2016
This is the first time that I have read this author. It was exciting, kind of tells you how crazy people can be and how killers think.
January 5, 2018
In 'Dark Pursuit', twenty-two-year-old Kaitlan goes home only to be welcomed by a dead woman on her bed. To make things worse, she finds her cop boyfriend's beloved pen where it shouldn't be at and answers his call which further convinces her that he might be guilty after all. Believing that the police can't help her, she flees to her estranged grandfather instead. Will he be able to hatch a plan to save her or will she end up just like that woman?
The premise sounded great and the story started off exciting until Kaitlan discovered the dead body. I know not to expect works of fiction to be completely realistic but there's a limit to how much disbelief one can suspend. Here, a lot of things didn't make sense. From that one chapter itself (and the subsequent chapters), there were several points that came to mind:
1. Kaitlan supposedly loved Craig (her boyfriend) yet she jumped to the conclusion that he's the killer simply because he sounded weird on the phone and his pen was at her residence. If you really love someone, you wouldn't believe they're capable of murder and even if you did, you'd still consider other possibilities. Perhaps Craig was being framed or threatened or protecting someone or working undercover to catch the perpetrator hence his odd tone and questions.
2. Kaitlan decided to go straight to her grandfather Darell whom she hasn't spoken to or seen in six years after one of their many fallouts. She could've spoken to another cop other than Craig or the chief (his dad). She could've considered asking Craig to help her. Why not? He's a policeman and she has no proof whatsoever that he's the murderer. Maybe his pen had been planted. Maybe he had a gun to his head when he called her.
3. Darell's a popular crime author who's desperately trying to crank out another bestseller except that an accident damaged his brain thus affecting his ability to write quality stories. Although he was initially angry when Kaitlan showed up on his doorstep (due to their history), he was too quick to agree to help her.
4. Darell's plan was laughably ridiculous and stupid. I could envision thought bubbles: No, don't bother lodging a police report and don't worry about the dead body. Let's play detective and risk dying!
Besides that, all the characters were flat, boring, unlikeable and lacked personality. Kaitlan behaved more like a helpless eight-year-old than an adult who has gone through some tough times and managed to start with a clean slate. She was highly dependent on Darell, dumb (to fully trust Darell and go along with his plan despite feeling uncomfortable and unsafe) and irrational (putting herself in danger though she was pregnant and clearly had other more viable options). Meanwhile, Darell was always snapping at Kaitlan or Margaret (who was supposed to be the voice of reason but came across as useless).
The repetition regarding the black fabric with green stripes tied around the victims' necks was annoying. Plus, there was nothing remotely interesting or fresh about it. It didn't help that the identity of the killer was no surprise by a simple process of elimination. It couldn't be .
Overall, 'Dark Pursuit' was a mess as too much was crammed into one story yet too little was actually happening. Consequently, it was dull and hopefully forgettable.
The premise sounded great and the story started off exciting until Kaitlan discovered the dead body. I know not to expect works of fiction to be completely realistic but there's a limit to how much disbelief one can suspend. Here, a lot of things didn't make sense. From that one chapter itself (and the subsequent chapters), there were several points that came to mind:
1. Kaitlan supposedly loved Craig (her boyfriend) yet she jumped to the conclusion that he's the killer simply because he sounded weird on the phone and his pen was at her residence. If you really love someone, you wouldn't believe they're capable of murder and even if you did, you'd still consider other possibilities. Perhaps Craig was being framed or threatened or protecting someone or working undercover to catch the perpetrator hence his odd tone and questions.
2. Kaitlan decided to go straight to her grandfather Darell whom she hasn't spoken to or seen in six years after one of their many fallouts. She could've spoken to another cop other than Craig or the chief (his dad). She could've considered asking Craig to help her. Why not? He's a policeman and she has no proof whatsoever that he's the murderer. Maybe his pen had been planted. Maybe he had a gun to his head when he called her.
3. Darell's a popular crime author who's desperately trying to crank out another bestseller except that an accident damaged his brain thus affecting his ability to write quality stories. Although he was initially angry when Kaitlan showed up on his doorstep (due to their history), he was too quick to agree to help her.
4. Darell's plan was laughably ridiculous and stupid. I could envision thought bubbles: No, don't bother lodging a police report and don't worry about the dead body. Let's play detective and risk dying!
Besides that, all the characters were flat, boring, unlikeable and lacked personality. Kaitlan behaved more like a helpless eight-year-old than an adult who has gone through some tough times and managed to start with a clean slate. She was highly dependent on Darell, dumb (to fully trust Darell and go along with his plan despite feeling uncomfortable and unsafe) and irrational (putting herself in danger though she was pregnant and clearly had other more viable options). Meanwhile, Darell was always snapping at Kaitlan or Margaret (who was supposed to be the voice of reason but came across as useless).
The repetition regarding the black fabric with green stripes tied around the victims' necks was annoying. Plus, there was nothing remotely interesting or fresh about it. It didn't help that the identity of the killer was no surprise by a simple process of elimination. It couldn't be .
Overall, 'Dark Pursuit' was a mess as too much was crammed into one story yet too little was actually happening. Consequently, it was dull and hopefully forgettable.
February 12, 2020
I have had this book on my shelf for a few months, after picking it up at a garage sale. Boy, I wish I would have picked it up sooner!
The writing kept me interested from the first line to the last! It was full speed ahead all the way through and I had trouble guessing what would happen next, which is exactly what I look for in suspense.
So many 'suspense' books have gore to the gills, but this was filled with wonderful writing and twists. The characters all have distinct personalities that genuinely interested me.
I began late on a Thursday evening and had finished it by the following morning. I literally could not put it down and if I didn't have responsibilities, I would have stayed up til the wee hours flying through the pages to find out what happened next.
I read a lot of thrillers and suspense novels, so I have become quite picky but this book was so great!
I looked into Brandilyn Collins and was stoked to find she has written a ton of other books. I am (impatiently) awaiting a series I ordered as soon as I finished Dark Pursuit. ( I didn't even read what the series I ordered is about, I plan on diving in blind to enhance the excitement...I trust this author that much after just one book!)
If you're unsure whether the fact that it is labeled 'Christian Suspense' will make this book cheesy or feel like a forced narrative to appease a Christian audience, don't be! ( I am a Christian myself, but usually there isn't enough excitement or twists and turns to keep my attention in books that are meant for Christians.)
Go read this book!
The writing kept me interested from the first line to the last! It was full speed ahead all the way through and I had trouble guessing what would happen next, which is exactly what I look for in suspense.
So many 'suspense' books have gore to the gills, but this was filled with wonderful writing and twists. The characters all have distinct personalities that genuinely interested me.
I began late on a Thursday evening and had finished it by the following morning. I literally could not put it down and if I didn't have responsibilities, I would have stayed up til the wee hours flying through the pages to find out what happened next.
I read a lot of thrillers and suspense novels, so I have become quite picky but this book was so great!
I looked into Brandilyn Collins and was stoked to find she has written a ton of other books. I am (impatiently) awaiting a series I ordered as soon as I finished Dark Pursuit. ( I didn't even read what the series I ordered is about, I plan on diving in blind to enhance the excitement...I trust this author that much after just one book!)
If you're unsure whether the fact that it is labeled 'Christian Suspense' will make this book cheesy or feel like a forced narrative to appease a Christian audience, don't be! ( I am a Christian myself, but usually there isn't enough excitement or twists and turns to keep my attention in books that are meant for Christians.)
Go read this book!
May 5, 2018
3.5 Nice strong plot. The main characters were a bit annoying. DB’s huge ego and harsh treatment of people was hard to take. Kaitlin made many unwise decisions.
All were interesting though.... This is part of a series but I don’t see any repeat characters in future books.
I do not like first person killer ramblings so skipped through those bits.
All were interesting though.... This is part of a series but I don’t see any repeat characters in future books.
I do not like first person killer ramblings so skipped through those bits.
February 25, 2024
A young woman finds a body in her bed when she returns from work. The young man she is dating is a local policeman whom she fears may have staged the crime scene. She seeks help from her estranged grandfather who is also an accalaimed murder nystery writer. I really didn't find the scenario believable and didn't like some of the characters either.
August 6, 2025
It was very cleverly written. Tons of dramatic irony that gives you just enough to understand what’s going on but still leaves holes in the storyline until the final chapters. I loved the multiple twists throughout the book that kept changing the objectives of the characters. I was hooked from start to finish.
July 7, 2019
I really like Brandilyn Collins' books overall, but I think this is my favorite so far. You might want to be sure you have time to read it straight through because there are very few "good" times to take a break. It is nonstop suspense from start to finish. Very good read!!
May 19, 2025
Quick read, but EXCELLENT storytelling, again.
I have many of Brandilyn Collins books, and I have enjoyed every single one of them. I was drawn into this book immediately and didn't put it down until it was done.
I have many of Brandilyn Collins books, and I have enjoyed every single one of them. I was drawn into this book immediately and didn't put it down until it was done.
April 18, 2011
This is the second Brandilyn Collins book I've read and it's become clear that while I think she has a certain style of writing that's compelling, I have some intrinsic issues with the stories she tells. In Dark Pursuit those issues are the very foundations of a book: the premise, plot, and character actions, which in this case vacillate between inane and ludicrous, obliterating not only the willing suspension of disbelief but any ability to do so whatsoever.
In Dark Pursuit, Kaitlan comes home early from a bad day at work to find a dead woman in her bed, a strip of black fabric with green stripes around her throat that matches the MO of two other strangulation victims in town in the past year, signs of a struggle and the engraved pen of her boyfriend of three months, police officer and son of the chief of police, Craig. Kaitlan is horrified, terrified that Craig was the killer, just as she was sure he couldn't possibly have done it. Then the phone rings and a conversation with Craig convinces Kaitlan that he did, and on top of that he knows she's not at work like she told him, knows she saw the body.
As soon as she hangs up with the alleged brutal murderer...the man she loves and the father of the baby she's carrying, Kaitlan doesn't call the police. She doesn't call anyone. Instead she flees to the house of her grandfather, a world renowned author and King of Suspense, despite being estranged from him for years. He, surely, can tell her what to do. But he is not the man he used to be following a car crash that left him brain damaged. Yet still she listens to him, takes his advice, and on the word of a fiction writer who's not all there mentally, returns to her apartment as if nothing happened to go out with a man she thinks is a killer - one she thinks knows she knows he's a killer.
The plot of Dark Pursuit spirals downwards from there, including several instances where a beleaguered Kaitlan shouts at her grandfather that this situation she's in is real life, not a book...which made me cringe every time she said it. If you don't want a brain damaged, miserable human being who threw you out of the house years ago and swore never to see you again treating your problems like it's the plot of a novel, then you might consider choosing a savior who's not a damn author.
Ugh. There were so very many stupid things in this book, idiotic choices and ideas, incomprehensible actions...like after running in terror through the dark streets and woods to hide from a man you're sure is going to kill you if he catches you, getting hit by a car, and finally making it to safety, perhaps running back to your apartment for your shears so you can go to work the next day isn't the best of ideas. Just a thought.
And even if the plot wasn't predicated on such ridiculous grounds, the characters Kaitlan and Margaret were two dimensional, overly emotional, and very poorly defined. Darell, for all that the idea of him catching Craig was laughable and the attempt to do so poorly written and ill conceived, was the most complex of the characters. I will give Collins credit there, I found Darell's internal struggles extremely compelling as he grasped hopelessly for what he lost, for the man he used to be, knowing all the while how far he'd fallen, despite the fact that he was sort of a bastard his whole life because of it. That aspect of the book is what garnered the second star in my rating, though the absurdity of the final conflict and 'twist' at the end almost stripped it right back.
I'm not trying to say that Collins doesn't possess the ability to tell a tale. I actually believe the opposite to be true. Despite the issues I had with it, I read Dark Pursuit in total and I don't feel like it was time totally wasted. She exhibits a sort of artistry stylistically, and again, I was very impressed with how she dealt with Darell's mind fuzzing in and out. Also in her favor, I was aware when I started this book that it was a Christian fiction, but the religion didn't impinge on the book, nor was it in any way preachy, even when the subject of abortion was raised. That may be better news for some than others, but I was glad for it.
I feel some real regret for not being able to enjoy this story, because I do appreciate Collins' narrative style, but after disliking both of the two books she's authored that I've read, I won't be checking to see if she's gained a better grasp of the most basic necessity in fiction in her future endeavors...to make sense.
~*~*~*~
Reviewed for One Good Book Deserves Another.
In Dark Pursuit, Kaitlan comes home early from a bad day at work to find a dead woman in her bed, a strip of black fabric with green stripes around her throat that matches the MO of two other strangulation victims in town in the past year, signs of a struggle and the engraved pen of her boyfriend of three months, police officer and son of the chief of police, Craig. Kaitlan is horrified, terrified that Craig was the killer, just as she was sure he couldn't possibly have done it. Then the phone rings and a conversation with Craig convinces Kaitlan that he did, and on top of that he knows she's not at work like she told him, knows she saw the body.
As soon as she hangs up with the alleged brutal murderer...the man she loves and the father of the baby she's carrying, Kaitlan doesn't call the police. She doesn't call anyone. Instead she flees to the house of her grandfather, a world renowned author and King of Suspense, despite being estranged from him for years. He, surely, can tell her what to do. But he is not the man he used to be following a car crash that left him brain damaged. Yet still she listens to him, takes his advice, and on the word of a fiction writer who's not all there mentally, returns to her apartment as if nothing happened to go out with a man she thinks is a killer - one she thinks knows she knows he's a killer.
The plot of Dark Pursuit spirals downwards from there, including several instances where a beleaguered Kaitlan shouts at her grandfather that this situation she's in is real life, not a book...which made me cringe every time she said it. If you don't want a brain damaged, miserable human being who threw you out of the house years ago and swore never to see you again treating your problems like it's the plot of a novel, then you might consider choosing a savior who's not a damn author.
Ugh. There were so very many stupid things in this book, idiotic choices and ideas, incomprehensible actions...like after running in terror through the dark streets and woods to hide from a man you're sure is going to kill you if he catches you, getting hit by a car, and finally making it to safety, perhaps running back to your apartment for your shears so you can go to work the next day isn't the best of ideas. Just a thought.
And even if the plot wasn't predicated on such ridiculous grounds, the characters Kaitlan and Margaret were two dimensional, overly emotional, and very poorly defined. Darell, for all that the idea of him catching Craig was laughable and the attempt to do so poorly written and ill conceived, was the most complex of the characters. I will give Collins credit there, I found Darell's internal struggles extremely compelling as he grasped hopelessly for what he lost, for the man he used to be, knowing all the while how far he'd fallen, despite the fact that he was sort of a bastard his whole life because of it. That aspect of the book is what garnered the second star in my rating, though the absurdity of the final conflict and 'twist' at the end almost stripped it right back.
I'm not trying to say that Collins doesn't possess the ability to tell a tale. I actually believe the opposite to be true. Despite the issues I had with it, I read Dark Pursuit in total and I don't feel like it was time totally wasted. She exhibits a sort of artistry stylistically, and again, I was very impressed with how she dealt with Darell's mind fuzzing in and out. Also in her favor, I was aware when I started this book that it was a Christian fiction, but the religion didn't impinge on the book, nor was it in any way preachy, even when the subject of abortion was raised. That may be better news for some than others, but I was glad for it.
I feel some real regret for not being able to enjoy this story, because I do appreciate Collins' narrative style, but after disliking both of the two books she's authored that I've read, I won't be checking to see if she's gained a better grasp of the most basic necessity in fiction in her future endeavors...to make sense.
~*~*~*~
Reviewed for One Good Book Deserves Another.
February 23, 2018
Quick read/listen. Keeps your interest.
June 12, 2018
Good story.
Want to read
July 19, 2020elibrary
October 7, 2020
A quick read and better than I expected
June 17, 2021
Loved this book but it ended a little abruptly. Wish there was a sequel!
July 11, 2023
Great.
May 13, 2025
can I find books that aren't mysteries that I haven't read before
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