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William Chance & Lynn Roseworth #1
The Darkest Time of Night
"The lights took him."
When the seven-year-old grandson of U.S. Senator vanishes in the woods behind his home, the only witness is his older brother who whispers, “The lights took him,” and then never speaks again.
As the FBI and National Guard launch a massive search, the boys' grandmother Lynn Roseworth fears only she knows the truth. But coming forward would ruin her family and her husband’s political career.
In the late 1960s, before she became the quiet wife of a politician, Lynn was a secretary in the astronomy department at the University of Illinois. It was there where she began taking mysterious messages for one of the professors; messages from people desperate to find their missing loved ones who vanished into beams of light.
Determined to find her beloved grandson and expose the truth, she must return to the work she once abandoned to unravel the existence of a place long forgotten by the world. It is there, buried deep beneath the bitter snow and the absent memories of its inhabitants, where her grandson may finally be found.
But there are forces that wish to silence her. And Lynn will find how far they will go to stop her, and how the truth about her own forgotten childhood could reveal the greatest mystery of all time.
When the seven-year-old grandson of U.S. Senator vanishes in the woods behind his home, the only witness is his older brother who whispers, “The lights took him,” and then never speaks again.
As the FBI and National Guard launch a massive search, the boys' grandmother Lynn Roseworth fears only she knows the truth. But coming forward would ruin her family and her husband’s political career.
In the late 1960s, before she became the quiet wife of a politician, Lynn was a secretary in the astronomy department at the University of Illinois. It was there where she began taking mysterious messages for one of the professors; messages from people desperate to find their missing loved ones who vanished into beams of light.
Determined to find her beloved grandson and expose the truth, she must return to the work she once abandoned to unravel the existence of a place long forgotten by the world. It is there, buried deep beneath the bitter snow and the absent memories of its inhabitants, where her grandson may finally be found.
But there are forces that wish to silence her. And Lynn will find how far they will go to stop her, and how the truth about her own forgotten childhood could reveal the greatest mystery of all time.
400 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 28, 2018
214 people are currently reading
3195 people want to read
About the author
Jeremy Finley
2 books119 followersJeremy Finley's debut novel, THE DARKEST TIME OF NIGHT, was called one of the best books of the summer of 2018 by People Magazine and a must-read by the New York Post, and was named to the Lariat List as one of the year's outstanding works of fiction. Both THE DARKEST TIME OF NIGHT and its sequel, THE DARK ABOVE, received rave reviews from NPR.
A working investigative reporter, he's received twenty Emmys and Edward R. Murrow awards, and is also the two-time recipient of the IRE award, a top national honor given out by Investigative Reporters and Editors.
He lives in Nashville, TN with his wife and daughters.
A working investigative reporter, he's received twenty Emmys and Edward R. Murrow awards, and is also the two-time recipient of the IRE award, a top national honor given out by Investigative Reporters and Editors.
He lives in Nashville, TN with his wife and daughters.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 305 reviews
May 3, 2019
Entertaining and entirely implausible......or is it? I have learned to never say never, so who knows, this could happen, may be happening in places we don't know, don't hear about. Government conspirscies, cover-up,ups? Say it isn't so. The story begins when a four year old son of a congressmen goes missing, literally from his backyard. His slightly older brother who was with him, will only ssy, the lights took him, and doesn't speak again.
Lynn, his grandmother, knows more than she is telling, and is bound and determined to find him. I liked that it is two sixty something women, who Thelma and Louise style, but with a better ending, take off on a road trip that is definitely out of this world. Lynn, will find out a big secret from her past, and way more than she dver expected to encounter. As I said, very entertaining, a little different from normal thrillers, with two kick ass, older women who will stop at nothing, and an ending that may leave some wondering, Is any of this possible?
ARC from Netgalley.
Lynn, his grandmother, knows more than she is telling, and is bound and determined to find him. I liked that it is two sixty something women, who Thelma and Louise style, but with a better ending, take off on a road trip that is definitely out of this world. Lynn, will find out a big secret from her past, and way more than she dver expected to encounter. As I said, very entertaining, a little different from normal thrillers, with two kick ass, older women who will stop at nothing, and an ending that may leave some wondering, Is any of this possible?
ARC from Netgalley.
June 6, 2018
4.5 stars
Wow! I took a risk with my latest reading selection and decided to explore a road less traveled. Set in contemporary America, The Darkest Time of Night sounds like it will be a straightforward mystery involving a missing child. As the story progresses and more secrets involving the child's grandmother are brought to light, I was completely thrown by the paranormal/conspiracy theory coverup and thought "WHAT in the heck am I reading?" But that tiny voice quickly faded away and I found myself completely satisfied to jump on the crazy train and allow Jeremy Finley to spin his tale. This is definitely another contender for a favorite read of 2018.
I loved the characters, especially the idea that two women in their 70's(Lynn and best friend Roxy definitely feel like series material) could blaze the trail of adventure. Also, that they are mature women that kick ass and stand toe to toe with some fairly shady characters was fantastic to read. But I do find myself with a few lingering questions about some of the final chapters and for that I withhold a full 5 star rating.
My only wish is to see more people go and grab an ARC on NetGalley because it's just an absolutely pleasurable read.
Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced ebook in exchange for an honest review.
Wow! I took a risk with my latest reading selection and decided to explore a road less traveled. Set in contemporary America, The Darkest Time of Night sounds like it will be a straightforward mystery involving a missing child. As the story progresses and more secrets involving the child's grandmother are brought to light, I was completely thrown by the paranormal/conspiracy theory coverup and thought "WHAT in the heck am I reading?" But that tiny voice quickly faded away and I found myself completely satisfied to jump on the crazy train and allow Jeremy Finley to spin his tale. This is definitely another contender for a favorite read of 2018.
I loved the characters, especially the idea that two women in their 70's(Lynn and best friend Roxy definitely feel like series material) could blaze the trail of adventure. Also, that they are mature women that kick ass and stand toe to toe with some fairly shady characters was fantastic to read. But I do find myself with a few lingering questions about some of the final chapters and for that I withhold a full 5 star rating.
My only wish is to see more people go and grab an ARC on NetGalley because it's just an absolutely pleasurable read.
Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced ebook in exchange for an honest review.
June 10, 2018
Lynn Roseworth has always had a fear of the woods and has always warned her family to stay away but now as a grandmother her fears are beginning to become real. Lynn’s grandchildren were camping out behind their home when the youngest was dared to go into the woods. The next thing the family knows little William has disappeared with the only witness his older brother who can only say “The lights took him.“
That one sentence awakens something Lynn has buried for the last forty years she’s spent as the wife of a U.S. Senator, a mother and now grandmother. Before she began her family life she was a secretary in the astronomy department at the University of Illinois working for a professor who was looking into the disappearance of many missing people, people who were thought to have been taken by U.F.O.s.
Picking up The Darkest Time of Night by Jeremy Finley I honestly thought I was going to be reading another thriller about a missing child. Little did I know this is actually a science fiction read or speculative fiction. The intense thrill of a missing child is still there to get the pages turning but the story unfolds into so much more.
As much as I appreciated that this story was certainly going to be different I think what I loved the most was the main character Lynn and her friend Roxy. These two ladies are seventy-ish and best friends who obviously will go to the ends of the world for one another and made for one strong female team to go kick some butt and find that poor grandbaby and that made the surrounding story that much better.
Now this one might not be for everyone with the science fiction side to it but if you’ve ever wondered even a slight bit if the government is covering up aliens or if there is an area 51 then you just might want to check this one out. With great writing Jeremy Finley has written one heck of a tale about those strange lights in the sky. Definitely a great read that I’d recommend checking out.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more review please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
That one sentence awakens something Lynn has buried for the last forty years she’s spent as the wife of a U.S. Senator, a mother and now grandmother. Before she began her family life she was a secretary in the astronomy department at the University of Illinois working for a professor who was looking into the disappearance of many missing people, people who were thought to have been taken by U.F.O.s.
Picking up The Darkest Time of Night by Jeremy Finley I honestly thought I was going to be reading another thriller about a missing child. Little did I know this is actually a science fiction read or speculative fiction. The intense thrill of a missing child is still there to get the pages turning but the story unfolds into so much more.
As much as I appreciated that this story was certainly going to be different I think what I loved the most was the main character Lynn and her friend Roxy. These two ladies are seventy-ish and best friends who obviously will go to the ends of the world for one another and made for one strong female team to go kick some butt and find that poor grandbaby and that made the surrounding story that much better.
Now this one might not be for everyone with the science fiction side to it but if you’ve ever wondered even a slight bit if the government is covering up aliens or if there is an area 51 then you just might want to check this one out. With great writing Jeremy Finley has written one heck of a tale about those strange lights in the sky. Definitely a great read that I’d recommend checking out.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more review please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
July 28, 2018
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5
I don't remember how I found out about The Darkest Time of Night by Jeremy Finley but I'm happy I did! This book was very different from what I normally read, although it is still a mystery - and I do love a good mystery.
The Darkest Time of Night is about the family of a woman named Lynn Roseworth whose daughter's son goes missing in the woods behind their home. The only thing they know about the disappearance is what his brother says - "the lights took him." Lynn thinks she might have an idea of what is going on, but refuses to say anything because it could damage her husband's political career as a Tennessee senator. So Lynn does the only thing she can do given the circumstances, goes on a hunt to figure out what really happened to her grandson William.
This book is definitely not going to be for everyone since there is both a sci-fi and alien aspect to the story. It was a storyline I had never read before though and I found it interesting. I never have had much interest in conspiracy theories, nor have I ever watched shows like Close Encounters of the Third Kind, but I still had no trouble enjoying this book.
It was a very fast read as well, and the story is told completely from the perspective of Lynn with a few jumps into the past. I think my favorite character (besides Lynn) had to be her best friend Roxy whom is with her on most of this journey. Roxy provided some great comic relief to the story and I was a fan of her sarcasm.
The only 2 things that were downsides for me was that the book is pretty slow for the most part, so be prepared for a slow burn of a story. However, it does pick up, especially as you get towards the end. The other thing that bugged me is that there are a few editing mistakes. I gotta tell you, there is nothing I hate more than hitting an editing mistake in an intense part of a book, and unfortunately that happens in this one. I do understand these things happen though, and it didn't really affect my rating of the novel overall.
Final Thought: If you have any interest in aliens and/or conspiracy theories I would recommend this book. Also, you MUST like a slow burn or you might be disappointed. If either or both of those things are in your wheelhouse I would check this book out. I couldn't really tell that it was a debut novel which is something I appreciate as well, and I would definitely be willing to check out Finley's next book if he has one!
I don't remember how I found out about The Darkest Time of Night by Jeremy Finley but I'm happy I did! This book was very different from what I normally read, although it is still a mystery - and I do love a good mystery.
The Darkest Time of Night is about the family of a woman named Lynn Roseworth whose daughter's son goes missing in the woods behind their home. The only thing they know about the disappearance is what his brother says - "the lights took him." Lynn thinks she might have an idea of what is going on, but refuses to say anything because it could damage her husband's political career as a Tennessee senator. So Lynn does the only thing she can do given the circumstances, goes on a hunt to figure out what really happened to her grandson William.
This book is definitely not going to be for everyone since there is both a sci-fi and alien aspect to the story. It was a storyline I had never read before though and I found it interesting. I never have had much interest in conspiracy theories, nor have I ever watched shows like Close Encounters of the Third Kind, but I still had no trouble enjoying this book.
It was a very fast read as well, and the story is told completely from the perspective of Lynn with a few jumps into the past. I think my favorite character (besides Lynn) had to be her best friend Roxy whom is with her on most of this journey. Roxy provided some great comic relief to the story and I was a fan of her sarcasm.
The only 2 things that were downsides for me was that the book is pretty slow for the most part, so be prepared for a slow burn of a story. However, it does pick up, especially as you get towards the end. The other thing that bugged me is that there are a few editing mistakes. I gotta tell you, there is nothing I hate more than hitting an editing mistake in an intense part of a book, and unfortunately that happens in this one. I do understand these things happen though, and it didn't really affect my rating of the novel overall.
Final Thought: If you have any interest in aliens and/or conspiracy theories I would recommend this book. Also, you MUST like a slow burn or you might be disappointed. If either or both of those things are in your wheelhouse I would check this book out. I couldn't really tell that it was a debut novel which is something I appreciate as well, and I would definitely be willing to check out Finley's next book if he has one!
April 24, 2018
This is one of those novels that a summary can't really capture, because the good things about it are so subtle. First, it's told in first person by a senator's elderly wife, and she's got a marvelous voice. She's no Miss Marple, but a smart woman struggling with disturbing revelations as she tries to find her kidnapped grandson. She's also quintessentially southern, which I really enjoyed. Second, although it moves into X-Files territory, the story remains focused on the people and their emotions, not the mechanics of plot; we care about the story because we care about the people. It becomes a real page-turner toward the end, and the climax is entirely appropriate. There's not a lot of southern-flavored SF out there, so grab this one.
August 23, 2018
2.5 Stars
This wasn’t quite what I expected. There’s a supernatural element to it. It reminded me slightly of The X-Files if The X-Files centered around two grandmother aged women trying to find one’s (Lynn) missing grandson.
Told from Lynn’s POV, it was entertaining although the suspense and thrills I was hoping for were missing.
This wasn’t quite what I expected. There’s a supernatural element to it. It reminded me slightly of The X-Files if The X-Files centered around two grandmother aged women trying to find one’s (Lynn) missing grandson.
Told from Lynn’s POV, it was entertaining although the suspense and thrills I was hoping for were missing.
July 16, 2018
I would compare reading this to eating a bag of Fritos. Yes, I knowingly reached for junk food, so I knew I wasn’t getting nourishment for my intellect or soul. But I *thought* I was getting the powdered-nacho-cheese pleasure of Doritos. And then I grazed through the entire bag anyway since I had already opened it, but afterward I thought, well, ok... that was indeed salt and trans fat.
August 11, 2019
A seven year old boy disappears in the woods outside his Tennessee home. William Chance is the grandson of a US Senator, so the story immediately draws media attention. The FBI and National Guard comb the woods. The police question every sex offender and possible person of interest within miles of the wooded area. No leads. No sign of the child. Nothing. It's like he disappeared into thin air. But his grandmother, Lynn Roseworth, thinks she knows what happened. It has happened before. Many, many times. In the 1960s Lynn was an assistant in a college astronomy department. One of the professors was doing research into missing persons cases. Although the cases were all seemingly unrelated, all of the witnesses said they saw people disappear into strange beams of light. Lynn knows the truth. There are very powerful people and agencies that would never, ever let her reveal what she knows. But she's determined to save her grandson....no matter what she has to do.
This story gave me the same creepy-cool feeling I used to get while watching episodes of the X-Files. In trying to locate and save her grandson, Lynn has to wade through her own past. Missing memories from childhood and what she discovered while working at the college in the 60s hold the truth that she has to reconcile in order to find William. It's dangerous to start looking into secrets that powerful government agencies want kept from the public. As she investigates, Lynn discovers the total horrifying truth: We are not alone.
Despite my not being a real fan of conspiracy theory stories or alien abduction tales, I enjoyed this story. Two feisty older women -- Lynn and her good friend Roxy -- setting off to blow the cover off a long-held government secret just gave this story a cooler edge than other similar books I have read. The plot isn't new....and it reads like a script from the X-Files....but 70-year old women determined to rescue a missing child, dodging men in black and nefarious secret agents while investigating UFOs --- what's not to love? I enjoyed the story for what it is ..... a suspenseful story about government cover-ups and aliens. The story continues in book 2 --The Dark Above.
On to book 2!
This story gave me the same creepy-cool feeling I used to get while watching episodes of the X-Files. In trying to locate and save her grandson, Lynn has to wade through her own past. Missing memories from childhood and what she discovered while working at the college in the 60s hold the truth that she has to reconcile in order to find William. It's dangerous to start looking into secrets that powerful government agencies want kept from the public. As she investigates, Lynn discovers the total horrifying truth: We are not alone.
Despite my not being a real fan of conspiracy theory stories or alien abduction tales, I enjoyed this story. Two feisty older women -- Lynn and her good friend Roxy -- setting off to blow the cover off a long-held government secret just gave this story a cooler edge than other similar books I have read. The plot isn't new....and it reads like a script from the X-Files....but 70-year old women determined to rescue a missing child, dodging men in black and nefarious secret agents while investigating UFOs --- what's not to love? I enjoyed the story for what it is ..... a suspenseful story about government cover-ups and aliens. The story continues in book 2 --The Dark Above.
On to book 2!
August 13, 2018
I liked this more than I thought I would when I first started it. Read the real reviews written by Diane S and Reading Between Wines .
July 14, 2018
Silly fluff. Not unutterable bad, but not good. And included more typos than a professionally published book should contain.
July 21, 2019
"...You are where the water falls."
"PRAYER FOR THE MISSING You are not gone, as long as I remember. You are not away, as long as I weep. You have not vanished, as long as I can picture your face. You are with me. You are in the rain. You are in my tears. You are where the water falls."
Lynn Roseworth is a mother and grandmother. She is also the wife to a U.S. Senator for Tennessee.
But before all this she worked in the office of a Professor of Astronomy at the University of Illinois. She found he also had an obsession he also worked on about strangely disappearing people that she in turn gets pulled into and is an equal partner with him on researching the disappearances.
She eventually quits her job as his obsession gets worse plus her husband's political career is heating up. But many years later one of her grandsons disappears and his older brother goes mute except for one phrase “The lights took him.”
I loved this story. I also loved that Lynn, the protagonist of the story, wasn't a "pretty young thang" but a grandmother almost seventy years old.
The characters are great. The story is a fun 'what if' tale.
I'm now off to read the second book in the series about Lynn and her grandson THE DARK ABOVE.
"PRAYER FOR THE MISSING You are not gone, as long as I remember. You are not away, as long as I weep. You have not vanished, as long as I can picture your face. You are with me. You are in the rain. You are in my tears. You are where the water falls."
Lynn Roseworth is a mother and grandmother. She is also the wife to a U.S. Senator for Tennessee.
But before all this she worked in the office of a Professor of Astronomy at the University of Illinois. She found he also had an obsession he also worked on about strangely disappearing people that she in turn gets pulled into and is an equal partner with him on researching the disappearances.
She eventually quits her job as his obsession gets worse plus her husband's political career is heating up. But many years later one of her grandsons disappears and his older brother goes mute except for one phrase “The lights took him.”
I loved this story. I also loved that Lynn, the protagonist of the story, wasn't a "pretty young thang" but a grandmother almost seventy years old.
The characters are great. The story is a fun 'what if' tale.
I'm now off to read the second book in the series about Lynn and her grandson THE DARK ABOVE.
August 29, 2018
After my child was born, I stopped taking books as seriously as I did before. It used to be hard for me to go through a book without disliking something or other. While I’m still fairly conservative about my ratings, it’s rare for me to go through a book in a rage about a character’s thoughts or actions, say. Unfortunately, this book’s main character made me feel like I was back in early 2013, waiting for my son to be born, rage reading most books.
Maybe she’s fine, and that I wasn’t in the mood for reading this story. But she bugged me, oh lord she did. She never felt like offering up her memories or her ideas to anyone, but everyone else had to do it for her. Here’s a thought Lynn, just as you don’t know the people you came seeking because you thought they could help you, they don’t know you either. Since she’s wife to a US Senator, for all they know she could be working for the enemy so to speak. But does that thought enter her head? No, not at all. It’s everyone else that is terrible.
For me, she’s also kind of unbelievably written. In her twenties, her first reaction to something she doesn’t like is to run away without even giving a fair hearing to a person she loves. And at seventy she’s pretty much the same. In between these years, she stagnated, she let her husband go from strength to strength being the supportive pillar that he needed her to be, without raising her voice or making a scene. Eh no. She’s had forty years in the middle, and if I didn’t know I was reading flashbacks, she sounded pretty much the same.
As for the aliens themselves, there’ll be a sequel I think. Because what the book leaves us with makes no sense if it’s not a precursor to something else. I may read it if Lynn is not the main character, but if she is, hard pass.
Maybe she’s fine, and that I wasn’t in the mood for reading this story. But she bugged me, oh lord she did. She never felt like offering up her memories or her ideas to anyone, but everyone else had to do it for her. Here’s a thought Lynn, just as you don’t know the people you came seeking because you thought they could help you, they don’t know you either. Since she’s wife to a US Senator, for all they know she could be working for the enemy so to speak. But does that thought enter her head? No, not at all. It’s everyone else that is terrible.
For me, she’s also kind of unbelievably written. In her twenties, her first reaction to something she doesn’t like is to run away without even giving a fair hearing to a person she loves. And at seventy she’s pretty much the same. In between these years, she stagnated, she let her husband go from strength to strength being the supportive pillar that he needed her to be, without raising her voice or making a scene. Eh no. She’s had forty years in the middle, and if I didn’t know I was reading flashbacks, she sounded pretty much the same.
As for the aliens themselves, there’ll be a sequel I think. Because what the book leaves us with makes no sense if it’s not a precursor to something else. I may read it if Lynn is not the main character, but if she is, hard pass.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 3, 2019
A sci-fi thriller that tells a horrifying tale of aliens and abductees. Imagine an "X Files" movie mixed with a horror story, but the part of Fox Mulder is taken by a grandmother in her sixties. Lynn Roseworth is the wife of a US Senator and she harbours a secret about her work at a university astronomy department in the 1960's.
One night, her five-year-old grandson, William disappears. His older brother Brian saw what happened but can only say “The lights took him,” before becoming almost catatonic. Lynn believes William's disappearance is linked to what she saw as a child when her father led some men into the woods near her family home and watched as they gathered before the gravestone of a young girl.
With her friend Roxy, Lynn returns to the university where, decades before, she collated mysterious messages for the astronomy professor with whom she worked. The messages came from people desperate to find missing family members who simply vanished with many of them reporting that "the lights" took them.
Half way through the story, Lynn discovers the shocking truth about her childhood. As she and Roxy delve deeper in their bid to find William, they discover a clue to a long abandoned mining town in the Rockies - Argentum.
As the story races to its conclusion, Lynn discovers the real reason for alien abductions and why the US Government has covered up this secret for so long. A stunning debut novel from investigative journalist, Jeremy Finley, which - thankfully - has a sequel due in July 2019. Can't wait!
One night, her five-year-old grandson, William disappears. His older brother Brian saw what happened but can only say “The lights took him,” before becoming almost catatonic. Lynn believes William's disappearance is linked to what she saw as a child when her father led some men into the woods near her family home and watched as they gathered before the gravestone of a young girl.
With her friend Roxy, Lynn returns to the university where, decades before, she collated mysterious messages for the astronomy professor with whom she worked. The messages came from people desperate to find missing family members who simply vanished with many of them reporting that "the lights" took them.
Half way through the story, Lynn discovers the shocking truth about her childhood. As she and Roxy delve deeper in their bid to find William, they discover a clue to a long abandoned mining town in the Rockies - Argentum.
As the story races to its conclusion, Lynn discovers the real reason for alien abductions and why the US Government has covered up this secret for so long. A stunning debut novel from investigative journalist, Jeremy Finley, which - thankfully - has a sequel due in July 2019. Can't wait!
February 19, 2020
Stumbled upon this title while browsing discount books at a favorite store. I picked it up because the premise looked interesting to me.
I’m so glad I did!
I got to meet Lynn (a grandmother who sets out to discover what happened to her grandson) and Roxy (her feisty, funny friend) and read the entire book in one sitting. (I also picked up the next book, The Dark Above) and have already begun it!
The writing is fantastic—some great passages both beautiful and moving. Clippy dialogue and pacing that keeps the pages moving. A few minor flaws with descriptions that jump but not enough to make me not enjoy this cool find!
Part Mystery Thriller. Part science fiction. Two badass older women running the show! 🙌
I’m so glad I did!
I got to meet Lynn (a grandmother who sets out to discover what happened to her grandson) and Roxy (her feisty, funny friend) and read the entire book in one sitting. (I also picked up the next book, The Dark Above) and have already begun it!
The writing is fantastic—some great passages both beautiful and moving. Clippy dialogue and pacing that keeps the pages moving. A few minor flaws with descriptions that jump but not enough to make me not enjoy this cool find!
Part Mystery Thriller. Part science fiction. Two badass older women running the show! 🙌
July 4, 2019
Damn that was such a great read!!!!! Something original that it held my interest from the first to the last page without one dull moment. I loved Lynn and her friend Roxy and their kind of “Thelma and Louise” friendship. A bit of aliens thrown in and you get a really cool story!
Thanks to St. Martins Press for this copy:)
Thanks to St. Martins Press for this copy:)
July 1, 2018
This is an incredible debut novel by Jeremy Finley, who is a friend and a former colleague. I promised him an honest review and I can say, friendship aside, I loved this book.
I read books of just about every genre. I love thrillers but I haven't read much, if any, sci-fi. "The Darkest Time of Night" is full of suspense but, to me, at its heart it's a great love story. It's about the lengths we go to and the risks we take to protect those we love. In this case, a grandmother must resurrect the secrets of her past in order to find her missing grandson.
"The Darkest Time of Night" leaves you wondering, "What's going to happen next?," which is terrific because there's a sequel on the horizon. I can't wait.
I read books of just about every genre. I love thrillers but I haven't read much, if any, sci-fi. "The Darkest Time of Night" is full of suspense but, to me, at its heart it's a great love story. It's about the lengths we go to and the risks we take to protect those we love. In this case, a grandmother must resurrect the secrets of her past in order to find her missing grandson.
"The Darkest Time of Night" leaves you wondering, "What's going to happen next?," which is terrific because there's a sequel on the horizon. I can't wait.
February 5, 2018
When 4 yo William disappears from the woods behind his house in Nashville, the only witness is his 7 yo brother who says ‘the lights took him’ and then refuses to speak again. William’s grandmother, Lynn Roseworth, the wife of a senator and potential VP candidate is afraid she knows what those words mean. They are a link to her past – a past she has never talked about with her family, and one she fears will destroy her entire family. The Darkest Time of Night is a truly remarkably written story. It is fast-paced and suspenseful … a thriller that is a combination of science fiction and government cover-up. Once you start, you can’t put this one down. A little bit scary, a whole lot heartrending; a complex plot, and many brave people make this a book that will make you question what might or might not actually exist.
June 5, 2018
Full disclosure: Jeremy is a good friend of mine. I cautiously asked to read his book and he cautiously put me off until I made him send me an advance copy. I think we were both afraid I wouldn't like it and then things would just get awkward. And who wants an awkward friendship?
I honestly can't say I liked it. I LOVED IT! I locked into the story from page one. I was very busy with work and start and stopped my way through the first quarter of the book, always longing for more time to get to it, day-dreaming about where he was going with this story. Well, Memorial Day Weekend came and I parked myself by the pool and read 250+ pages, completely lost in the story. I honestly could not put it down.
To say it is a page turner is an understatement. Jeremy paints a fantastic picture, but doesn't linger on "precious" scenes like many first time authors. His years as a journalist really shine in his writing style. He sets the scene, gives us the who, what, when and where and then it's off to the races. "The Darkest Time of Night," is the tidiest 320 page book I've ever read. It's "X-Files" meets "House of Cards" meets "Stranger Things." There's really no other way to put it without spoiling the book. I can't wait to see what's in store in the future for these characters.
Which brings me to the characters. They are amazing, well fleshed out, strong women, especially the main character Lynn and her lifelong partner-in-crime, Roxy. If I didn't know Jeremy, I'd wonder what type of sorcery he used to conjure up these fascinating female characters. Knowing Jeremy and his wife and 2 daughters, I have a pretty good idea where he gets his insight into strong women. They are with him 24/7.
I can't recommend this book enough. If you don't trust the review of one of his friends, let me leave you with this nugget: There's no way in hell I'd have taken the time to write the review. Being raised in Iowa by the epitome of a midwestern mom, if I didn't have anything good to say, I wouldn't have said it. I would have just stopped returning Jeremy's calls and texts and stare at my shoes like any other midwesterner when confronted with the awkwardness of the situation. But then again, seeing how Jeremy was raised in the midwest as well, he'd never ask me in a million years what I thought of the book. The fact that this review exists at all should be testament enough to run out and snag this book the second it comes out. You won't regret it.
P.S. When you get to the story about the dog and the robot vacuum, just know that my suffering was not in vain. It's forever memorialized in print.
I honestly can't say I liked it. I LOVED IT! I locked into the story from page one. I was very busy with work and start and stopped my way through the first quarter of the book, always longing for more time to get to it, day-dreaming about where he was going with this story. Well, Memorial Day Weekend came and I parked myself by the pool and read 250+ pages, completely lost in the story. I honestly could not put it down.
To say it is a page turner is an understatement. Jeremy paints a fantastic picture, but doesn't linger on "precious" scenes like many first time authors. His years as a journalist really shine in his writing style. He sets the scene, gives us the who, what, when and where and then it's off to the races. "The Darkest Time of Night," is the tidiest 320 page book I've ever read. It's "X-Files" meets "House of Cards" meets "Stranger Things." There's really no other way to put it without spoiling the book. I can't wait to see what's in store in the future for these characters.
Which brings me to the characters. They are amazing, well fleshed out, strong women, especially the main character Lynn and her lifelong partner-in-crime, Roxy. If I didn't know Jeremy, I'd wonder what type of sorcery he used to conjure up these fascinating female characters. Knowing Jeremy and his wife and 2 daughters, I have a pretty good idea where he gets his insight into strong women. They are with him 24/7.
I can't recommend this book enough. If you don't trust the review of one of his friends, let me leave you with this nugget: There's no way in hell I'd have taken the time to write the review. Being raised in Iowa by the epitome of a midwestern mom, if I didn't have anything good to say, I wouldn't have said it. I would have just stopped returning Jeremy's calls and texts and stare at my shoes like any other midwesterner when confronted with the awkwardness of the situation. But then again, seeing how Jeremy was raised in the midwest as well, he'd never ask me in a million years what I thought of the book. The fact that this review exists at all should be testament enough to run out and snag this book the second it comes out. You won't regret it.
P.S. When you get to the story about the dog and the robot vacuum, just know that my suffering was not in vain. It's forever memorialized in print.
July 30, 2018
I loved this book. It was refreshing for a scifi reader to have a story not told by a man in his 40s or younger. This is a story about a woman in her 70s who is desperate to find out what happened to her missing grandson. She relives her own life and it's so, so wild.
July 22, 2018
Wow. Themla and Louise meet the X-Files! The book unfolded effortlessly, the narrator going back and forth between past and present. The characters are well drawn even as they seem to occupy perfect roles and professions to advance the plot. Since I’m a big fan of The X-Files, I was fine with that aspect. I loved the fact that the main characters are 2 women in their 70’s.
This would have easily been 5 stars if not for a sloppy “major reveal” involving a laptop without password, and a not very convincing lack of vetting of the past.
From the ending, it seems this wants a few more installments. And it would make wonderful film, with major roles for older women.
This would have easily been 5 stars if not for a sloppy “major reveal” involving a laptop without password, and a not very convincing lack of vetting of the past.
From the ending, it seems this wants a few more installments. And it would make wonderful film, with major roles for older women.
January 24, 2020
This has to be a 1 star. For the editing and for the sheer stupidity of the story and characters.
Lynn Roseworth is an unbelievable character. Roxy whatever her last name is an unbelievable character. If you want to make a story as out to lunch as this, sure, fine. Go ahead. Knock yourselves out. But to create this story with superhero elderly women? No. Just, no. Don't.
And the story... my god. How absurd. If you are going to have such a complex dynamic with the wife of a senator running as vice president being an alien abductee and their grandson being an alien abductee, you don't neglect those confrontations. They were barely addressed. This book should've been written in the third person with different viewpoints or keep third person but have a chapter dedicated to a different character. To me it reeks of laziness and not wanted to venture into uncharted waters.
This story would've been a tad more palatable had Lynn been the mother with a missing child and not a grandmother that the author always mentions, through Roxy, her old age and fading physical sturdiness.
Not reading the sequel should it get a release. You shouldn't either.
Lynn Roseworth is an unbelievable character. Roxy whatever her last name is an unbelievable character. If you want to make a story as out to lunch as this, sure, fine. Go ahead. Knock yourselves out. But to create this story with superhero elderly women? No. Just, no. Don't.
And the story... my god. How absurd. If you are going to have such a complex dynamic with the wife of a senator running as vice president being an alien abductee and their grandson being an alien abductee, you don't neglect those confrontations. They were barely addressed. This book should've been written in the third person with different viewpoints or keep third person but have a chapter dedicated to a different character. To me it reeks of laziness and not wanted to venture into uncharted waters.
This story would've been a tad more palatable had Lynn been the mother with a missing child and not a grandmother that the author always mentions, through Roxy, her old age and fading physical sturdiness.
Not reading the sequel should it get a release. You shouldn't either.
September 6, 2022
The first few pages in the file had most of the words
blacked out. So many of the words were marked
through I couldn't comprehend even what was typed or
written on the pages. A quick glance through the files
found them all to be the same.
3.5 stars. This book was definitely not what I expected it to be, which was actually a great surprise. Lynn is searching for her missing grandson, and other secrets about her life and others are revealed with a surprising twist!
blacked out. So many of the words were marked
through I couldn't comprehend even what was typed or
written on the pages. A quick glance through the files
found them all to be the same.
3.5 stars. This book was definitely not what I expected it to be, which was actually a great surprise. Lynn is searching for her missing grandson, and other secrets about her life and others are revealed with a surprising twist!
September 2, 2018
A little slow getting started—there are a lot of characters introduced in a short period of time—this book really picks up steam in the middle when we learn about Lynn’s background working for an astronomy professor. The ending was intriguing, but I did find the pace lagging a bit. An entertaining read but I was hoping for more eeriness and sinister suspense. 3.5 Stars.
August 6, 2018
Wow. This book is excellently written! I have watched Jeremy on our local news for years and never knew he had this talent. I can’t wait to read more from him!
August 10, 2018
The Darkest Time Of Night was a phenomenal read! Sometimes the best novels are the hardest to describe. Such is the case here. Yes, this is a supernatural novel about aliens, but the author included so many other elements to this that it turned into a powerful story about love, career, family, and finding oneself. I loved everything about this and would highly recommend it.
This started when young William went missing in the woods behind the home of his grandmother, Lynn. Immediately, Lynn recognized that William was not kidnapped by a human. She knew that the disappearance meant that William had been abducted by aliens. Truthfully, I cannot recall another alien book I've read, and certainly haven't liked one as much as this! The reason this was so great was because of Lynn's background. It turned out that just after getting married, Lynn worked with a researcher at a university who studied abductions of people across the country. Her flashbacks to that work revealed her to be a smart and thoughtful woman who was devoted to helping others. She was kind, generous, and polite. Lynn was what made this novel so great.
William's disappearance thrust Lynn back into the past, and forced her to engage with members of the groups who track aliens full time. All of that was done in secret since Lynn's family didn't know about her background. Lynn also worked to keep it a secret to protect her husband who was the Vice Presidential candidate in an election year.
Lynn's journey absolutely made sense. I was on board with everything that was happening, and even smirked along when the men in black suits appeared in an isolated field far from civilization. I especially lived that this became a thriller with a senior citizen as the heroine. I was stunned by what Lynn was able to accomplish both physically and emotionally. Her perseverance was a driving force for the action and my growing love of the novel!
This was unique and beautiful and eerie. The clever writing pulled me for and against people and plot points with the revelation of information. I love when an author can do that to me. It means I read a book that made me think and had me questioning my own beliefs. I cannot day enough good things about this other than I highly recommend it!
This started when young William went missing in the woods behind the home of his grandmother, Lynn. Immediately, Lynn recognized that William was not kidnapped by a human. She knew that the disappearance meant that William had been abducted by aliens. Truthfully, I cannot recall another alien book I've read, and certainly haven't liked one as much as this! The reason this was so great was because of Lynn's background. It turned out that just after getting married, Lynn worked with a researcher at a university who studied abductions of people across the country. Her flashbacks to that work revealed her to be a smart and thoughtful woman who was devoted to helping others. She was kind, generous, and polite. Lynn was what made this novel so great.
William's disappearance thrust Lynn back into the past, and forced her to engage with members of the groups who track aliens full time. All of that was done in secret since Lynn's family didn't know about her background. Lynn also worked to keep it a secret to protect her husband who was the Vice Presidential candidate in an election year.
Lynn's journey absolutely made sense. I was on board with everything that was happening, and even smirked along when the men in black suits appeared in an isolated field far from civilization. I especially lived that this became a thriller with a senior citizen as the heroine. I was stunned by what Lynn was able to accomplish both physically and emotionally. Her perseverance was a driving force for the action and my growing love of the novel!
This was unique and beautiful and eerie. The clever writing pulled me for and against people and plot points with the revelation of information. I love when an author can do that to me. It means I read a book that made me think and had me questioning my own beliefs. I cannot day enough good things about this other than I highly recommend it!
July 7, 2018
I thought I was getting my husband a thriller, when we started listening in the car I said I’m sorry I must be mistaken, it was a southern grandma talking about quilts and flowers, and frankly, I was enjoying it! The main event happens but it still felt off, then we get the whole jest of it and I was hooked! I would never have listened to this but it was a fun summer read with two kick ass seniors, loved roxy. Since this is a genre I would never choose I thought it was great fun, coupled with the heroine being in her sixties I totally enjoyed sluething around the country. Also appreciate that a male wrote this but he still has a great pulse on how old women think 😉
July 6, 2018
Two Grandmas are the stars of this sci-fi book, and one of them is the very good narrator. Sci-fi is not my favorite genre, but this book is a solid debut with good writing, characters, and plotting. Once I saw what I was into (I had originally thought it was a mystery...and it is, sort of), I was going to stop reading it. But I was engaged and kept going.
Lynne is the wife of a US Senator, and their 7 year old grandson goes missing in the woods behind his home. His older brother witnessed what happened, but is too traumatized to speak. But Lynne suspects she knows the truth about William's disappearance. And as the FBI and National Guard launch a massive search, she begins her own desperate search. Her friend Roxy assists her later in the book, and she is a very welcome character. With forces wishing to silence them, these two forge ahead to discover the truth about William and many other missing people throughout the years.
Lynne is the wife of a US Senator, and their 7 year old grandson goes missing in the woods behind his home. His older brother witnessed what happened, but is too traumatized to speak. But Lynne suspects she knows the truth about William's disappearance. And as the FBI and National Guard launch a massive search, she begins her own desperate search. Her friend Roxy assists her later in the book, and she is a very welcome character. With forces wishing to silence them, these two forge ahead to discover the truth about William and many other missing people throughout the years.
June 12, 2018
If you miss the 'X-Files' television show, “The Darkest Time of Night” is your next read.
Lynn Roseworth, now a grandmother, lives in her father’s house and her old family home when her young grandson William goes missing after wandering past the backyard into the woods. When his older brother is questioned all he can say is “The lights took him”.
From there, Lynn will do whatever it takes to find out what has happened that leads her to a dark conspiracy, questions arising about her own past, and a new set of enemies that care nothing for the people it takes in this high stakes, well-paced fantastic thriller.
UFO thrillers like the films ‘The Forgotten’ and ‘Close Encounters of the Third Kind’ take seriously the effects of encounters and in that effect create much more suspenseful stories: The story is not about the aliens or UFOs completely, but what happens to the lives of those that are affected by these encounters. Fans of Dean Koontz will see the same octane-fueled thrill ride often seen in his novels and will enjoy this book as well – the same intensity is here in “The Darkest Time of Night”.
It’s been a while since I have read a science fiction thriller this good. Author Finley creates little crumbs of plot everywhere until they finally lead to big revelations that arrive expertly put together into one big finale.
Here’s to hoping there’s more books in a series with these characters down the road.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for early access to this title due June 26th.
Lynn Roseworth, now a grandmother, lives in her father’s house and her old family home when her young grandson William goes missing after wandering past the backyard into the woods. When his older brother is questioned all he can say is “The lights took him”.
From there, Lynn will do whatever it takes to find out what has happened that leads her to a dark conspiracy, questions arising about her own past, and a new set of enemies that care nothing for the people it takes in this high stakes, well-paced fantastic thriller.
UFO thrillers like the films ‘The Forgotten’ and ‘Close Encounters of the Third Kind’ take seriously the effects of encounters and in that effect create much more suspenseful stories: The story is not about the aliens or UFOs completely, but what happens to the lives of those that are affected by these encounters. Fans of Dean Koontz will see the same octane-fueled thrill ride often seen in his novels and will enjoy this book as well – the same intensity is here in “The Darkest Time of Night”.
It’s been a while since I have read a science fiction thriller this good. Author Finley creates little crumbs of plot everywhere until they finally lead to big revelations that arrive expertly put together into one big finale.
Here’s to hoping there’s more books in a series with these characters down the road.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for early access to this title due June 26th.
June 27, 2018
Jeremy Finley’s debut novel is fast-paced sci-fi fun that you won’t want to put down. When the young grandson of a US senator goes missing, police and FBI search the woods where William was last seen for any clues to his whereabouts. In the wake of his disappearance, William’s grandmother, Lynn, is forced to confront a past she’d long ago buried: her involvement with a group that investigated mysterious vanishings, ones strikingly similar to William’s. Can Lynn figure out what happened and bring her little boy home?
It’s a thriller with a healthy dose of science fiction thrown in. Finley keeps the story moving nicely and while there are a few mysteries woven throughout, you never forget that at its heart, this is a story about what a woman would do to bring home the child she loves.
I used to work with Jeremy but that didn’t influence my rating. I appreciated all the little nods to Nashville - that sweet southern lady Lynn made me miss Tennessee!
4.5/5 stars
It’s a thriller with a healthy dose of science fiction thrown in. Finley keeps the story moving nicely and while there are a few mysteries woven throughout, you never forget that at its heart, this is a story about what a woman would do to bring home the child she loves.
I used to work with Jeremy but that didn’t influence my rating. I appreciated all the little nods to Nashville - that sweet southern lady Lynn made me miss Tennessee!
4.5/5 stars
June 26, 2018
It becomes evident the kidnappers may not be human and Lynn’s past has a connection to alien abductions and that this is more than a scary sci-fi story.
I’m hoping there will be a sequel. The aliens and the abductions they are doing left some unanswered questions as to why.
Read the rest of the review at http://www.ismellsheep.com/2018/06/bo....
I’m hoping there will be a sequel. The aliens and the abductions they are doing left some unanswered questions as to why.
Read the rest of the review at http://www.ismellsheep.com/2018/06/bo....
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