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The Dark Room
All’s fair in love and revenge in this taut thriller from bestselling author Lisa Gray.
Ex–crime reporter Leonard Blaylock spends his days on an unusual hobby, developing forgotten and discarded rolls of film. He loves the small mysteries the photographs reveal to him. Then Leonard finds something no one would ever expect, or want, to see captured on film—the murder of a young woman.
But that’s impossible, because the woman is already dead. Leonard was there when it happened five years earlier.
He has never been able to shake his guilt from that terrible night. It cost Leonard everything: his career, his fiancée, his future. But if the woman didn’t really die, then what actually happened?
Ex–crime reporter Leonard Blaylock spends his days on an unusual hobby, developing forgotten and discarded rolls of film. He loves the small mysteries the photographs reveal to him. Then Leonard finds something no one would ever expect, or want, to see captured on film—the murder of a young woman.
But that’s impossible, because the woman is already dead. Leonard was there when it happened five years earlier.
He has never been able to shake his guilt from that terrible night. It cost Leonard everything: his career, his fiancée, his future. But if the woman didn’t really die, then what actually happened?
285 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 25, 2022
2057 people are currently reading
6164 people want to read
About the author
Lisa Gray
8 books1,149 followersLisa Gray is an Amazon #1, Washington Post and Wall Street Journal bestselling author and has sold over one million books. She has been longlisted for the McIlvanney Prize and an ITW Thriller Awards finalist. Lisa previously worked as the chief Scottish soccer writer at the Press Association and the books columnist at the Daily Record Saturday Magazine. She is the author of the bestselling Jessica Shaw series and standalone thrillers The Dark Room, To Die For, and The Final Act. Lisa lives in Glasgow and writes full time. Learn more at www.lisagraywriter.com and connect with Lisa on social media @lisagraywriter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 360 reviews
May 25, 2022
Thank you Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. IYKYK, my reviews are always honest.
1.5 rounded down. I finished this because my bookstagram buddies picked it for me.
THE PLOT
Leonard is processing some of his mystery film when he finds a photo of a woman he watched die 5 years ago. But in this photo, it looks like she's just died again more recently. What's going on!?
MY OPINION
I have a bunch of ARCs on my NetGalley shelf so I asked the good people of Bookstagram what I should read; they picked this (duh). Welp. Lol. That was the only reason I finished this other than yeeting it.
I didn't know who I was supposed to support. Why would I care that a 37-year-old cheating cokehead got scammed? Why would I want him to figure out who scammed him? Free my girl Martha from the bondage of this ain't shit guy who doesn't even shorten his creepy ass name (sorry Leonard's of the world—it's not your fault) to Leo to be more respectable.
Next we have the plot which resembled a slice of swiss cheese—meaning it had lots of holes. The story itself was extremely repetitive and there was zero suspense. I didn't give two wet farts about the "sexual tension" between Leonard the cokehead and Martha the sad ass stalker... big pass from me. And what was that whole prologue about Angel Angela when she was never mentioned again?????
There was lots of math not mathulating like: a cab in NYC costing $10 (when Leonard said "keep the change" excuse me sir you're $40 short...)and a freelance journalist rocking Dior Sauvage cologne AND the matching deodorant plus living in a 2 bed apt near hell's kitchen. Simply impossible.
I tossed it a half of star (which isn't reflected unfortunately in the rating) because one of the final twisty twists was unexpected, although tbh that didn't quite make sense either but whatever lol.
PROS AND CONS
Pros: my internet friends picked this
Cons: writing, plot, ending, worst MC on the planet
1.5 rounded down. I finished this because my bookstagram buddies picked it for me.
THE PLOT
Leonard is processing some of his mystery film when he finds a photo of a woman he watched die 5 years ago. But in this photo, it looks like she's just died again more recently. What's going on!?
MY OPINION
I have a bunch of ARCs on my NetGalley shelf so I asked the good people of Bookstagram what I should read; they picked this (duh). Welp. Lol. That was the only reason I finished this other than yeeting it.
I didn't know who I was supposed to support. Why would I care that a 37-year-old cheating cokehead got scammed? Why would I want him to figure out who scammed him? Free my girl Martha from the bondage of this ain't shit guy who doesn't even shorten his creepy ass name (sorry Leonard's of the world—it's not your fault) to Leo to be more respectable.
Next we have the plot which resembled a slice of swiss cheese—meaning it had lots of holes. The story itself was extremely repetitive and there was zero suspense. I didn't give two wet farts about the "sexual tension" between Leonard the cokehead and Martha the sad ass stalker... big pass from me. And what was that whole prologue about Angel Angela when she was never mentioned again?????
There was lots of math not mathulating like: a cab in NYC costing $10 (when Leonard said "keep the change" excuse me sir you're $40 short...)and a freelance journalist rocking Dior Sauvage cologne AND the matching deodorant plus living in a 2 bed apt near hell's kitchen. Simply impossible.
I tossed it a half of star (which isn't reflected unfortunately in the rating) because one of the final twisty twists was unexpected, although tbh that didn't quite make sense either but whatever lol.
PROS AND CONS
Pros: my internet friends picked this
Cons: writing, plot, ending, worst MC on the planet
November 10, 2022
EXCERPT: In the more than two years since Angela, his finds had ranged from complete garbage to pretty fascinating. The latter were the ones that made it onto the bedroom wall. There had never once been anything even close to illegal in what he'd picked up from e-Bay, estate sales and flea markets.
Anything could be on those rolls.
Even so, Leonard knew he was wise to take precautions; that there was a chance he could come across a roll of film one day that contained something so damaging, so shocking and horrifying that the police would be called, no doubt about it, if anyone other than Leonard was responsible for developing it.
Today was that day.
ABOUT 'THE DARK ROOM': Ex–crime reporter Leonard Blaylock spends his days on an unusual hobby, developing forgotten and discarded rolls of film. He loves the small mysteries the photographs reveal to him. Then Leonard finds something no one would ever expect, or want, to see captured on film—the murder of a young woman.
But that’s impossible, because the woman is already dead. Leonard was there when it happened five years earlier.
He has never been able to shake his guilt from that terrible night. It cost Leonard everything: his career, his fiancée, his future. But if the woman didn’t really die, then what actually happened?
MY THOUGHTS: The Dark Room by Lisa Gray is a book best gone into cold. For that reason I am not going to expand on the plot whatsoever, other than to say that it's clever. Very clever. And I loved it.
This is an intense slow burn psychological drama with some great twists. The Dark Room is the second book that I have read this week that is reminiscent of the detective/crime pulp fiction that my dad used to read, and I used to surreptitiously sneak from his bedside table when he wasn't home. There are a few cracking one liners, sleezy bars, and a beautiful woman with 'legs longer than a ten year stretch in Sing-Sing'. I have a real appreciation for those early crime novels.
The main character, Leonard, is a reporter rather than a detective. There are conniving, manipulative characters: a private investigator/photographer who sets up 'honeytraps' for people who suspect their spouses of cheating; a woman who will do whatever it takes to get to where she wants to be; and another who is only to happy to help other women to get real revenge following her own betrayal.
I was intrigued by the premise that some people actually go around buying up old undeveloped rolls of film, and develop them. It is something that never would have occurred to me, but now, I'm tempted.
The characters are not particularly likeable, except for maybe Martha, but even she surprised me in the end.
I liked the twisted sort of justice that is delivered. Unconventional, twisted, yet somewhat satisfying.
And I loved the final words in the book: 'Just in case'. Which, to me, indicates that nothing is ever really over.
A one sitting read for me.
⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
#TheDarkRoom #NetGalley
I: @lisagraywriter @amazonpublishing
T: @lisagraywriter @amazonpub
#contemporaryfiction #crime #murdermystery #psychologicaldrama #romance #suspense #thriller
THE AUTHOR: Lisa Gray decided at a young age that she wanted to write features for magazines and somehow ended up working as a football journalist for almost 20 years instead. She now writes novels full-time.
An avid reader, she was hooked on Sweet Valley High and Point Horror books as a youngster, before turning to crime.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Amazon Publishing UK, Thomas & Mercer, via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Dark Room by Lisa Gray for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
Anything could be on those rolls.
Even so, Leonard knew he was wise to take precautions; that there was a chance he could come across a roll of film one day that contained something so damaging, so shocking and horrifying that the police would be called, no doubt about it, if anyone other than Leonard was responsible for developing it.
Today was that day.
ABOUT 'THE DARK ROOM': Ex–crime reporter Leonard Blaylock spends his days on an unusual hobby, developing forgotten and discarded rolls of film. He loves the small mysteries the photographs reveal to him. Then Leonard finds something no one would ever expect, or want, to see captured on film—the murder of a young woman.
But that’s impossible, because the woman is already dead. Leonard was there when it happened five years earlier.
He has never been able to shake his guilt from that terrible night. It cost Leonard everything: his career, his fiancée, his future. But if the woman didn’t really die, then what actually happened?
MY THOUGHTS: The Dark Room by Lisa Gray is a book best gone into cold. For that reason I am not going to expand on the plot whatsoever, other than to say that it's clever. Very clever. And I loved it.
This is an intense slow burn psychological drama with some great twists. The Dark Room is the second book that I have read this week that is reminiscent of the detective/crime pulp fiction that my dad used to read, and I used to surreptitiously sneak from his bedside table when he wasn't home. There are a few cracking one liners, sleezy bars, and a beautiful woman with 'legs longer than a ten year stretch in Sing-Sing'. I have a real appreciation for those early crime novels.
The main character, Leonard, is a reporter rather than a detective. There are conniving, manipulative characters: a private investigator/photographer who sets up 'honeytraps' for people who suspect their spouses of cheating; a woman who will do whatever it takes to get to where she wants to be; and another who is only to happy to help other women to get real revenge following her own betrayal.
I was intrigued by the premise that some people actually go around buying up old undeveloped rolls of film, and develop them. It is something that never would have occurred to me, but now, I'm tempted.
The characters are not particularly likeable, except for maybe Martha, but even she surprised me in the end.
I liked the twisted sort of justice that is delivered. Unconventional, twisted, yet somewhat satisfying.
And I loved the final words in the book: 'Just in case'. Which, to me, indicates that nothing is ever really over.
A one sitting read for me.
⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
#TheDarkRoom #NetGalley
I: @lisagraywriter @amazonpublishing
T: @lisagraywriter @amazonpub
#contemporaryfiction #crime #murdermystery #psychologicaldrama #romance #suspense #thriller
THE AUTHOR: Lisa Gray decided at a young age that she wanted to write features for magazines and somehow ended up working as a football journalist for almost 20 years instead. She now writes novels full-time.
An avid reader, she was hooked on Sweet Valley High and Point Horror books as a youngster, before turning to crime.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Amazon Publishing UK, Thomas & Mercer, via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Dark Room by Lisa Gray for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
October 27, 2022
I really tried with this one. I liked the synopsis well enough to request this ARC. I love thrillers and honestly I just did not feel the genre in this one. The MC is all over the place and the plot fell short. The only character I liked was the mysterious Red. I was hoping for a fast paced twisty thriller. This one was just not for me.
Thank you Netgalley and Amazon Publishing UK for this ARC.
Thank you Netgalley and Amazon Publishing UK for this ARC.
October 4, 2022
Ex-crime reporter Leonard Blaylock spends his days on an unusual hobby, developing forgotten and discarded rolls of film. He loves the small mysteries the photographs reveal to him. Then Leonard finds something no one would expect, or want, to see captured on film - the murder of a young woman. But that's impossible, because the woman is already dead. Leonard was there when it happened five years earlier.
This is a quick and easy to read, well written book. I was quickly pulled into the storyline. with its intriguing, original and gripping plotline. There's lots of twists and red herrings to keep your interest. This is a story of betrayal and revenge. The pace is slow to begin with, but it soon picks up. The story is told from multiple points of view and timelines. i wasn't keen on any of the characters. Definitely never saw that ending coming.
I would like to thank #Netgalley #AmazonPublishingUK #ThomasandMercer and the author #LisaGray for my ARC of #TheDarkRoom in exchange for an honest review.
This is a quick and easy to read, well written book. I was quickly pulled into the storyline. with its intriguing, original and gripping plotline. There's lots of twists and red herrings to keep your interest. This is a story of betrayal and revenge. The pace is slow to begin with, but it soon picks up. The story is told from multiple points of view and timelines. i wasn't keen on any of the characters. Definitely never saw that ending coming.
I would like to thank #Netgalley #AmazonPublishingUK #ThomasandMercer and the author #LisaGray for my ARC of #TheDarkRoom in exchange for an honest review.
July 6, 2024
2⭐
Genre ~ psychological fiction
Publication date ~ October 25, 2022
Est Page Count ~ 285 (37 chapters)
Audio length ~ 6 hours 42 minutes
Narrator ~ Michael Orenstein
POV ~ multiple 3rd
Featuring ~ amateur sleuthing, murder, cheating, stalking, revenge, slow burn
An interesting premise about developing forgotten film ~ sounds fun to my nosy self.
Our narrators are:
Leonard ~ ex crime reporter and film developer
Jim ~ a news anchor
Martha ~ a photographer
Caroline ~ Leonard's ex fiance and news anchor
Red ~ the honey-trap dead woman
Jackie ~ the detective
Leonard and Martha team up and sleuth their way to finding who killed Red. I did not care for these two much at all. He's a cheater and she was cheated on and hates cheaters yet she still chooses to hang out with him, boggled my mind.
Love a good revenge plot and there's lots of good ingredients for this one, but I like to at least be able to root for one character and I couldn't find anything to like about any of them. And why does their full name need to be written out so often? I already know their last name, so I don't need to read it over and over again.
Overall, a bit too slow moving and not suspenseful. Not really for me, but plenty of other have enjoyed it.
*Yay for checking one off my old NG list*
Narration notes:
So I did listen to some of this, but I cannot comment on the narrator because I listened on pocketbook, which was pretty awful, so I had to read it.
*Thanks to Amazon Publishing UK, the author and NetGalley for the ARC. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*
Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter
Genre ~ psychological fiction
Publication date ~ October 25, 2022
Est Page Count ~ 285 (37 chapters)
Audio length ~ 6 hours 42 minutes
Narrator ~ Michael Orenstein
POV ~ multiple 3rd
Featuring ~ amateur sleuthing, murder, cheating, stalking, revenge, slow burn
An interesting premise about developing forgotten film ~ sounds fun to my nosy self.
Our narrators are:
Leonard ~ ex crime reporter and film developer
Jim ~ a news anchor
Martha ~ a photographer
Caroline ~ Leonard's ex fiance and news anchor
Red ~ the honey-trap dead woman
Jackie ~ the detective
Leonard and Martha team up and sleuth their way to finding who killed Red. I did not care for these two much at all. He's a cheater and she was cheated on and hates cheaters yet she still chooses to hang out with him, boggled my mind.
Love a good revenge plot and there's lots of good ingredients for this one, but I like to at least be able to root for one character and I couldn't find anything to like about any of them. And why does their full name need to be written out so often? I already know their last name, so I don't need to read it over and over again.
Overall, a bit too slow moving and not suspenseful. Not really for me, but plenty of other have enjoyed it.
*Yay for checking one off my old NG list*
Narration notes:
So I did listen to some of this, but I cannot comment on the narrator because I listened on pocketbook, which was pretty awful, so I had to read it.
*Thanks to Amazon Publishing UK, the author and NetGalley for the ARC. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*
Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter
November 1, 2023
Leonard Blaylock's hobby is purchasing rolls of discarded film and developing the pictures to see what is on it. One film which is dated only weeks ago shows what looks like the bloody stabbing death of a beautiful redhead. The date on the film shows that the pictures were taken recently. But Leonard knows this woman. As a matter of fact, he was there when she died nearly five years ago. How could she be in these pictures now?
We learn at the beginning of the story that Leonard is a serial cheater who picked up the redhead in a bar and went back to her hotel room. She ended up dead and he quickly left the hotel. He has been living with guilt ever since. Now that he knows she really didn't die that night five years ago, he is interested in learning what exactly happened.
As usual with Lisa Gray's books, the story is told from multiple timelines. Jumping from past to present with various characters points-of-view sometimes got a little confusing. I really had to concentrate on what was happening. I'm glad I did. This story has lots of twists and turns that I didn't expect.
I listened to the audiobook which was read by Michael Orenstein. It only took two days since it was a rather short book, and I didn't want to stop listening to it. My rating: 4 Stars.
We learn at the beginning of the story that Leonard is a serial cheater who picked up the redhead in a bar and went back to her hotel room. She ended up dead and he quickly left the hotel. He has been living with guilt ever since. Now that he knows she really didn't die that night five years ago, he is interested in learning what exactly happened.
As usual with Lisa Gray's books, the story is told from multiple timelines. Jumping from past to present with various characters points-of-view sometimes got a little confusing. I really had to concentrate on what was happening. I'm glad I did. This story has lots of twists and turns that I didn't expect.
I listened to the audiobook which was read by Michael Orenstein. It only took two days since it was a rather short book, and I didn't want to stop listening to it. My rating: 4 Stars.
October 15, 2022
Leonard Baylock was a crime reporter back in days gone by, but now spends his time buying old film reels and developing them. When he develops one, he brought at a flea market, he finds a murder scene of a woman stabbed to death. And has a recent date on the film. But what shocks him that this woman five years ago in a different matter and he was involved in his death. This affected him badly which he lost his partner and job over it. What the hell is going on?
Thank you, Amazon Publishing, for a copy of ‘The dark Room’ I liked the premise of this story. I thought I it was full of twists, but I found this slow and is not a story that will blow you away. It stayed at the same pace throughout. After reading this and I got to the conclusion at the end I found it to be very disappointing and thought what was the point of it all? 3.5 stars from me.
Thank you, Amazon Publishing, for a copy of ‘The dark Room’ I liked the premise of this story. I thought I it was full of twists, but I found this slow and is not a story that will blow you away. It stayed at the same pace throughout. After reading this and I got to the conclusion at the end I found it to be very disappointing and thought what was the point of it all? 3.5 stars from me.
August 31, 2022
Lisa Gray's The Dark Room is a twisty story of lies and revenge.
Synopsis:
Leonard Blaylock is a down and out ex-crime journalist. He now spends his time pursuing an unusual hobby. Leonard buys and develops old rolls of film to find rare pictures. He is shocked when he finds a recent picture of a murdered woman. The catch, however, is huge. Leonard knows this woman and she died five years ago in a different manner. He knows because he was there when she supposedly died the first time. The guilt of her "death" destroyed his life. Something is strange about this situation. Can Leonard find the truth?
The Dark Room by Lisa Gray is a slow burn thriller with shocking plot twists. While the book held my attention, one must suspend belief to fully embrace the story. This is my first read by Lisa Gray and I look forward to exploring more of her books.
The Dark Room is available on October 25th.
Thank you, NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK, for sharing this interesting book with me. I appreciate your kindness.
Synopsis:
Leonard Blaylock is a down and out ex-crime journalist. He now spends his time pursuing an unusual hobby. Leonard buys and develops old rolls of film to find rare pictures. He is shocked when he finds a recent picture of a murdered woman. The catch, however, is huge. Leonard knows this woman and she died five years ago in a different manner. He knows because he was there when she supposedly died the first time. The guilt of her "death" destroyed his life. Something is strange about this situation. Can Leonard find the truth?
The Dark Room by Lisa Gray is a slow burn thriller with shocking plot twists. While the book held my attention, one must suspend belief to fully embrace the story. This is my first read by Lisa Gray and I look forward to exploring more of her books.
The Dark Room is available on October 25th.
Thank you, NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK, for sharing this interesting book with me. I appreciate your kindness.
September 16, 2025
This book starts off real creepy like Dexter but Leonard is definitely no Dexter..right??
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 8, 2022
The Dark Room is a great twisty revenge tale for all! Leonard Blaylock is still recovering from his fall from grace as a star reporter. Now he spends a lot of time obsessing on his hobby of developing strangers' abandoned rolls of film. When he finds a potential picture of a snuff murder, he isn't sure who to talk to or who to turn to because he recognizes the women!
Reaching out to his buddies on his hobby chat, he utilizes his research skills to track down the truth. In this case however, the truth might too much for anyone to handle! If you like quick thrillers, revenge stories and great twists, The Dark Room is for you! #LisaGray #TheDakrRoom #amazon
Reaching out to his buddies on his hobby chat, he utilizes his research skills to track down the truth. In this case however, the truth might too much for anyone to handle! If you like quick thrillers, revenge stories and great twists, The Dark Room is for you! #LisaGray #TheDakrRoom #amazon
December 20, 2023
A Unique Thriller Filled With Unpredictable Twists!
I just finished reading one of the most captivating books on Kindle Unlimited! The synopsis had me intrigued from the start, and I was not disappointed. The story follows Leonard, a crime writer who purchases old, undeveloped rolls of film and develops them in his private darkroom. He never knows what each roll holds - it could be forgotten family memories, random vacation shots, or something more sinister. This gives me the same thrill as buying mystery bags during my childhood days, hoping for an incredible find.
But this time, Leonard uncovers something he never expected - pictures of a murdered woman. The problem? He had a one-night stand with her years prior, and she died that very night. As he delves deeper into the mystery of this strange film and the woman known as Red, he uncovers shocking truths that will leave you on the edge of your seat. Lisa Gray masterfully spins an unpredictable and complex tale that builds tension to the extreme until the final reveal. Trust me, you won't be able to put this unique thriller down!
#TheDarkRoom #LisaGray #KindleUnlimited #ThomasandMercer #Thriller #justfinished #ARC #honestreview #newrelease
I just finished reading one of the most captivating books on Kindle Unlimited! The synopsis had me intrigued from the start, and I was not disappointed. The story follows Leonard, a crime writer who purchases old, undeveloped rolls of film and develops them in his private darkroom. He never knows what each roll holds - it could be forgotten family memories, random vacation shots, or something more sinister. This gives me the same thrill as buying mystery bags during my childhood days, hoping for an incredible find.
But this time, Leonard uncovers something he never expected - pictures of a murdered woman. The problem? He had a one-night stand with her years prior, and she died that very night. As he delves deeper into the mystery of this strange film and the woman known as Red, he uncovers shocking truths that will leave you on the edge of your seat. Lisa Gray masterfully spins an unpredictable and complex tale that builds tension to the extreme until the final reveal. Trust me, you won't be able to put this unique thriller down!
#TheDarkRoom #LisaGray #KindleUnlimited #ThomasandMercer #Thriller #justfinished #ARC #honestreview #newrelease
October 17, 2022
Loved the idea of old films being developed and never knowing what you will see.
Leonard finds a picture of a dead body that brings back images of something that had happened earlier. Trying to find answers with help from an online friend Martha.
Loved the premise of the book but personally had a hard time getting into it. The characters just didn't pull me in.
Thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for an early release of this book.
Leonard finds a picture of a dead body that brings back images of something that had happened earlier. Trying to find answers with help from an online friend Martha.
Loved the premise of the book but personally had a hard time getting into it. The characters just didn't pull me in.
Thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for an early release of this book.
August 20, 2023
The story was very slow and at points boring all the way to the last 50 pages, that suddenly it because so fast that was hard to catch up !! 3 ⭐️is mainly for the big twist at last pages of this book.
October 9, 2022
I have just wasted 5 hours of my life I will never get back. What a load of mindless dribble. This book has given me a headache. Me and this author just don't gel. I really hope other readers enjoy it more but somehow I don't think so.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in return for giving an honest review.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in return for giving an honest review.
October 28, 2022
The Dark Room is a stand-alone suspense novel by the author of the Jessica Shaw series, all of which I have read and enjoyed. Unfortunately I can’t say the same for this one, because of the unlikeable characters, implausible plot and contrived twist ending. This is a shame because the premise sounded intriguing.
Leonard Blaylock is a down-on-his-luck crime reporter from New York, who lost his career and his marriage five years earlier, when he blamed himself for the death of Red, a beautiful stranger he picked up in a bar for a one night stand. His only hobby is developing rolls of film lost by strangers, but when his latest image turns out to be of Red lying dead of stab wounds, he is compelled to investigate.
This is told from multiple different character perspectives, which felt unnecessary and became confusing. Leonard is one of the most unappealing protagonists I’ve come across - an unapologetic cheat, and it’s really hard to see what Martha sees in him. My biggest problem with this book, however, was the quaint idea that anyone would still use film professionally these days - especially private investigators and baby photographers. I started wondering whether this was set in the 90s, just not stated, but then smartphones and Instagram were mentioned so it’s clearly meant to be present day or thereabouts. (No mention of Covid.) The plot kinda hangs on this idea, which meant I couldn’t take it seriously. (I’m sure there are people who maintain dark rooms to play with film as a hobby, but the cost alone would make it unfeasible to use it for work purposes.)
Then there’s the ending - clever in that I didn’t guess which way it was heading but I was left feeling cheated, rather than outplayed, and ultimately dissatisfied. This wouldn’t put me off reading more from this author as she writes well and has interesting ideas, but this one missed the mark for me.
Thanks to NetGalley and Amazon UK for the ARC. I am posting this honest review voluntarily. The Dark Room is available now.
Leonard Blaylock is a down-on-his-luck crime reporter from New York, who lost his career and his marriage five years earlier, when he blamed himself for the death of Red, a beautiful stranger he picked up in a bar for a one night stand. His only hobby is developing rolls of film lost by strangers, but when his latest image turns out to be of Red lying dead of stab wounds, he is compelled to investigate.
This is told from multiple different character perspectives, which felt unnecessary and became confusing. Leonard is one of the most unappealing protagonists I’ve come across - an unapologetic cheat, and it’s really hard to see what Martha sees in him. My biggest problem with this book, however, was the quaint idea that anyone would still use film professionally these days - especially private investigators and baby photographers. I started wondering whether this was set in the 90s, just not stated, but then smartphones and Instagram were mentioned so it’s clearly meant to be present day or thereabouts. (No mention of Covid.) The plot kinda hangs on this idea, which meant I couldn’t take it seriously. (I’m sure there are people who maintain dark rooms to play with film as a hobby, but the cost alone would make it unfeasible to use it for work purposes.)
Then there’s the ending - clever in that I didn’t guess which way it was heading but I was left feeling cheated, rather than outplayed, and ultimately dissatisfied. This wouldn’t put me off reading more from this author as she writes well and has interesting ideas, but this one missed the mark for me.
Thanks to NetGalley and Amazon UK for the ARC. I am posting this honest review voluntarily. The Dark Room is available now.
October 25, 2022
Secrets, lies, betrayals, and revenge…
Five years of guilt have tormented Leonard Blaylock, once a crime reporter for a major publication now a freelance journalist, a man just surviving the loss of his career and his fiancé by an act he committed that he cannot forget.
Leonard has a unique hobby that gives him some pleasure, buying and developing discarded rolls of film. The photographs provide a glimpse into the lives of strangers, a mystery to be solved by his imagination but there is a danger to such a pastime that he has now learned. On his latest roll of developed film can be seen the murder of a woman, a woman he’d known five years ago when he’d seen her die yet the picture in this film is not years old. If she didn’t die then, then what really happened the night his life went into a downward spiral? Someone wanted Leonard to think that the woman had died then but who? And what are the chances that five years later Leonard would find a picture of someone he’d known let alone thought he’d killed? Quite an amazing and unlikely coincidence.
Having pushed away all his real-world friends Leonard turns to an online buddy on a photography forum for advice, Martha Weaver, who agrees to meet with him. She’s intrigued by what he’s found and also appalled by the story he relates but she’ll help him and so begins their investigation into the truth of what happened five years ago. This reader wondered why a woman would agree to help a man who is basically a stranger after the story she’d been told, the answer to that question lies within the story.
This was an intriguing and unusual tale riddled with twists, secrets, and lies. The protagonists and others you meet along the way are not the most likable of people yet the author makes you feel for what some have been through but not totally because they did deserve some of what they received. It’s also a tale of revenge multiplied but whose ultimate revenge is the question to be solved. The book is well-written and suspenseful, beware of the unreliable narrator that this reader did not see coming, the unseen manipulator. There’s a great twisted different kind of ending, it’s told to the readers by the main protagonists, and I have to say that Leonard and Martha truly deserve each other.
This book is different from the author’s Jessica Shaw series which features an intelligent, likable, relatable, private investigator solving cases. This is a stand-alone novel filled with unusual off-kilter individuals whose sense of morality is questionable as is their psychological state of mind. The plot holds the reader’s attention easily, and is unraveled through the use of multiple points of view and jumps in the timeline. There is no lack of suspicious characters, betrayals, and blackmail abound and there’s an underlying perception of deception throughout the book which keeps the reader guessing.
An advanced reading copy was obtained from the publisher via NetGalley.
Five years of guilt have tormented Leonard Blaylock, once a crime reporter for a major publication now a freelance journalist, a man just surviving the loss of his career and his fiancé by an act he committed that he cannot forget.
Leonard has a unique hobby that gives him some pleasure, buying and developing discarded rolls of film. The photographs provide a glimpse into the lives of strangers, a mystery to be solved by his imagination but there is a danger to such a pastime that he has now learned. On his latest roll of developed film can be seen the murder of a woman, a woman he’d known five years ago when he’d seen her die yet the picture in this film is not years old. If she didn’t die then, then what really happened the night his life went into a downward spiral? Someone wanted Leonard to think that the woman had died then but who? And what are the chances that five years later Leonard would find a picture of someone he’d known let alone thought he’d killed? Quite an amazing and unlikely coincidence.
Having pushed away all his real-world friends Leonard turns to an online buddy on a photography forum for advice, Martha Weaver, who agrees to meet with him. She’s intrigued by what he’s found and also appalled by the story he relates but she’ll help him and so begins their investigation into the truth of what happened five years ago. This reader wondered why a woman would agree to help a man who is basically a stranger after the story she’d been told, the answer to that question lies within the story.
This was an intriguing and unusual tale riddled with twists, secrets, and lies. The protagonists and others you meet along the way are not the most likable of people yet the author makes you feel for what some have been through but not totally because they did deserve some of what they received. It’s also a tale of revenge multiplied but whose ultimate revenge is the question to be solved. The book is well-written and suspenseful, beware of the unreliable narrator that this reader did not see coming, the unseen manipulator. There’s a great twisted different kind of ending, it’s told to the readers by the main protagonists, and I have to say that Leonard and Martha truly deserve each other.
This book is different from the author’s Jessica Shaw series which features an intelligent, likable, relatable, private investigator solving cases. This is a stand-alone novel filled with unusual off-kilter individuals whose sense of morality is questionable as is their psychological state of mind. The plot holds the reader’s attention easily, and is unraveled through the use of multiple points of view and jumps in the timeline. There is no lack of suspicious characters, betrayals, and blackmail abound and there’s an underlying perception of deception throughout the book which keeps the reader guessing.
An advanced reading copy was obtained from the publisher via NetGalley.
October 24, 2022
The Dark Room by Lisa Gray is a highly recommended thriller full of lies and betrayal.
Leonard Blaylock was a crime reporter before he cheated on his fiancée, Caroline Cooper, which ended very badly for his relationship and career. Now he freelances and spends most of his days buying and developing mystery film, the forgotten and discarded rolls of film of strangers. When he develops one roll, he finds pictures of a murdered woman. Leonard recognizes the woman as "Red," a woman he had a one-night stand with five years earlier, the night he thought she died, the night Leonard lost his fiancée and career. If she didn't die five years ago, then what really happened and who was she.
Leonard is an unappealing character, however readers will be sympathetic to his current situation, when he realizes he was deceived five years earlier and it was certainly a planned event. But it is also clear he was using drugs, cheating on his fiancée, and fled the scene when he thought Red had died. He contacts Martha Weaver, a woman he knows who is also into mystery film. The two begin to work together to try and figure out what happened five years ago,
The plot unfolds through the point-of-view of several different characters, and also moves in different timelines. This allows tension to build because you don't know exactly what happened and who did what. Leonard may have been behaving badly five years earlier, but he wasn't the only on harboring secrets and schemes. Oh, the darkness that hides in the human heart. There are multiple suspects and duplicity is prevalent at every turn. With the disclosure of new information uncovered during the investigations by Leonard and Martha, the narrative includes plenty of twists and surprises.
The story line moves forward at a steady pace as the new clues and information are revealed. At times you will have to suspend some disbelief, but this is an entertaining thriller. 3.5 rounded up.
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Thomas & Mercer via NetGalley.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2022/1...
Leonard Blaylock was a crime reporter before he cheated on his fiancée, Caroline Cooper, which ended very badly for his relationship and career. Now he freelances and spends most of his days buying and developing mystery film, the forgotten and discarded rolls of film of strangers. When he develops one roll, he finds pictures of a murdered woman. Leonard recognizes the woman as "Red," a woman he had a one-night stand with five years earlier, the night he thought she died, the night Leonard lost his fiancée and career. If she didn't die five years ago, then what really happened and who was she.
Leonard is an unappealing character, however readers will be sympathetic to his current situation, when he realizes he was deceived five years earlier and it was certainly a planned event. But it is also clear he was using drugs, cheating on his fiancée, and fled the scene when he thought Red had died. He contacts Martha Weaver, a woman he knows who is also into mystery film. The two begin to work together to try and figure out what happened five years ago,
The plot unfolds through the point-of-view of several different characters, and also moves in different timelines. This allows tension to build because you don't know exactly what happened and who did what. Leonard may have been behaving badly five years earlier, but he wasn't the only on harboring secrets and schemes. Oh, the darkness that hides in the human heart. There are multiple suspects and duplicity is prevalent at every turn. With the disclosure of new information uncovered during the investigations by Leonard and Martha, the narrative includes plenty of twists and surprises.
The story line moves forward at a steady pace as the new clues and information are revealed. At times you will have to suspend some disbelief, but this is an entertaining thriller. 3.5 rounded up.
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Thomas & Mercer via NetGalley.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2022/1...
October 30, 2022
I was worried about this one based on all the poor reviews but it really wasn’t all that bad once you got past the first half. It took a little while for me to really get into it but the last few twists were pretty good.
Leonard develops lost film and he develops a picture of a dead woman. While this would be usually alarming, he is particularly intrigued because he knows this woman and was there when she died 5 years before. This new picture is much more recent and he doesn’t understand how the same woman can die twice. He decides to launch into an investigation and uncover what happened and reclaim his life that derailed with the guilt of believing he killed her the first time.
It has an excellent premise but it just takes forever to get interesting. Once the investigation is really under way the different POVs keep the plot moving. The twists at the end were fun but it does require a large suspension of belief.
Leonard develops lost film and he develops a picture of a dead woman. While this would be usually alarming, he is particularly intrigued because he knows this woman and was there when she died 5 years before. This new picture is much more recent and he doesn’t understand how the same woman can die twice. He decides to launch into an investigation and uncover what happened and reclaim his life that derailed with the guilt of believing he killed her the first time.
It has an excellent premise but it just takes forever to get interesting. Once the investigation is really under way the different POVs keep the plot moving. The twists at the end were fun but it does require a large suspension of belief.
November 10, 2022
EHHHHH
October 15, 2022
Finished reading: October 12th 2022
"The camera never lied, but it rarely told the truth either."
*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***
P.S. Find more of my reviews here.
October 22, 2022
I’m a big fan of Lisa Gray’s Jessica Shaw P.I. series and so was keen to read her first published stand-alone thriller. It’s a great read.
Leonard Blaylock used to be a crime reporter and now he spends his days trawling sales and fairs for used rolls of 35mm film taken by strangers, which he develops. He’s fascinated by other people’s photographs and loves to think about who the people might be and what they were doing when the unknown photographer caught them on camera.
But he’s taken aback when he develops one roll of film only to find that it has been recently taken and that it shows the body of a young woman – a woman who has very clearly been murdered. Leonard is shaken. Finding a photo like this is bad enough, but he knows this woman. He knows her because five years ago he was there when she died.
It was, unsurprisingly, a night he will never forget. As a crime reporter he was riding high. He had a great career, was in love with his beautiful fiancée. And one terrible night changed all that for ever. It’s a night Leonard has never recovered from.
So how on earth has this photograph now emerged? If the woman wasn’t dead five years ago, what happened? And how did she come to be dead now?
Lisa Gray takes us through Leonard’s grisly recollections of that night 5 years ago when the woman he knew as ‘Red’ died. She’d been a casual attraction and what was an unplanned one night stand went horribly wrong. Leonard ran and never looked back, but his life was never the same again. His fiancée, a rising star in television, presenter Caroline Cooper ditched him unceremoniously and his career tanked.
Leonard turns to photographer Martha Weaver to help him figure out what has happened. She shares his fascinating with abandoned rolls of film and the two have become online friends in a forum for those who share this hobby.
Lisa Gray’s story is beautifully rendered. It twists and turns and keeps us endlessly captivated as new angles emerge and Leonard gets closer to finding out what happened the night he fled from a murder scene.
The Dark Room is told from a number of points of view. As the story unfolds we begin to see that this is a story as coiled as a python and just as likely to squeeze the life out of any of its characters. Not everyone is telling the truth and there are layers of deceit which build into a huge pyramid of lies that is in danger of toppling and bringing everything down.
Verdict: I really enjoyed the layering in this story and the way Lisa Gray slowly unfurls the truth, leaving us gasping right to the end. This is a terrific, well-paced read which will keep you guessing all the way through.
Leonard Blaylock used to be a crime reporter and now he spends his days trawling sales and fairs for used rolls of 35mm film taken by strangers, which he develops. He’s fascinated by other people’s photographs and loves to think about who the people might be and what they were doing when the unknown photographer caught them on camera.
But he’s taken aback when he develops one roll of film only to find that it has been recently taken and that it shows the body of a young woman – a woman who has very clearly been murdered. Leonard is shaken. Finding a photo like this is bad enough, but he knows this woman. He knows her because five years ago he was there when she died.
It was, unsurprisingly, a night he will never forget. As a crime reporter he was riding high. He had a great career, was in love with his beautiful fiancée. And one terrible night changed all that for ever. It’s a night Leonard has never recovered from.
So how on earth has this photograph now emerged? If the woman wasn’t dead five years ago, what happened? And how did she come to be dead now?
Lisa Gray takes us through Leonard’s grisly recollections of that night 5 years ago when the woman he knew as ‘Red’ died. She’d been a casual attraction and what was an unplanned one night stand went horribly wrong. Leonard ran and never looked back, but his life was never the same again. His fiancée, a rising star in television, presenter Caroline Cooper ditched him unceremoniously and his career tanked.
Leonard turns to photographer Martha Weaver to help him figure out what has happened. She shares his fascinating with abandoned rolls of film and the two have become online friends in a forum for those who share this hobby.
Lisa Gray’s story is beautifully rendered. It twists and turns and keeps us endlessly captivated as new angles emerge and Leonard gets closer to finding out what happened the night he fled from a murder scene.
The Dark Room is told from a number of points of view. As the story unfolds we begin to see that this is a story as coiled as a python and just as likely to squeeze the life out of any of its characters. Not everyone is telling the truth and there are layers of deceit which build into a huge pyramid of lies that is in danger of toppling and bringing everything down.
Verdict: I really enjoyed the layering in this story and the way Lisa Gray slowly unfurls the truth, leaving us gasping right to the end. This is a terrific, well-paced read which will keep you guessing all the way through.
July 30, 2022
Thanks to Netgalley and Amazon Publishing UK for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Leonard is a freelance journalist who buys undeveloped film and develops it and allows himself to imagine back stories for the people in the photos. One day he develops some new film and finds a murder scene with a woman he thought died in his presence years back, but this is a completely different scene. So he starts to investigate with the help of another woman with the same undeveloped film interest, whom he met online.
I enjoyed this book. I thought it was an interesting premise. I felt like there were enough twists and turns to keep my attention. I really thought I had the whole thing figured out and thought the outcome would be pretty obvious and therefore a little disappointing, but I was wrong and definitely did not see the actual outcome coming. I love the Jessica Shaw series and thought this was one notch below that but still very good. I really like this author's writing style and look forward to more from her.
Leonard is a freelance journalist who buys undeveloped film and develops it and allows himself to imagine back stories for the people in the photos. One day he develops some new film and finds a murder scene with a woman he thought died in his presence years back, but this is a completely different scene. So he starts to investigate with the help of another woman with the same undeveloped film interest, whom he met online.
I enjoyed this book. I thought it was an interesting premise. I felt like there were enough twists and turns to keep my attention. I really thought I had the whole thing figured out and thought the outcome would be pretty obvious and therefore a little disappointing, but I was wrong and definitely did not see the actual outcome coming. I love the Jessica Shaw series and thought this was one notch below that but still very good. I really like this author's writing style and look forward to more from her.
May 22, 2022
Publication date: 25 October 2022
Thank you so much to Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed this book! It took a couple of chapters to get into the story, but once the action started I couldn't put the book down. I thought it was really well-plotted and well written. The dialogue was great and easy to read and the characters were all suspicious, which is perfect as it kept me guessing throughout. I was thinking it was wrapped up all way too easily when the last two chapters blew me away! I did not see the ending coming and I was totally surprised!
I haven't read anything from Lisa Gray before but I would definitely read more from her in the future. I would recommend if you're looking for a quick read and a twisty, entertaining thriller.
Thank you so much to Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed this book! It took a couple of chapters to get into the story, but once the action started I couldn't put the book down. I thought it was really well-plotted and well written. The dialogue was great and easy to read and the characters were all suspicious, which is perfect as it kept me guessing throughout. I was thinking it was wrapped up all way too easily when the last two chapters blew me away! I did not see the ending coming and I was totally surprised!
I haven't read anything from Lisa Gray before but I would definitely read more from her in the future. I would recommend if you're looking for a quick read and a twisty, entertaining thriller.
May 25, 2022
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.
I don't see the appeal of developing other people's discarded camera films myself, and it must be a hobby with a rapidly diminishing shelf life, but I assume it is a thing. It's certainly the premise of this novel. I found this well-plotted and fast-paced, with plenty of twists and turns. The final chapters explain exactly what went on for the benefit of the reader, which I always think is a sign the clues weren't sufficiently seeded in the main narrative, but they did put to rest things which were nagging at me.
Recommended as a gripping, undemanding read.
I don't see the appeal of developing other people's discarded camera films myself, and it must be a hobby with a rapidly diminishing shelf life, but I assume it is a thing. It's certainly the premise of this novel. I found this well-plotted and fast-paced, with plenty of twists and turns. The final chapters explain exactly what went on for the benefit of the reader, which I always think is a sign the clues weren't sufficiently seeded in the main narrative, but they did put to rest things which were nagging at me.
Recommended as a gripping, undemanding read.
April 30, 2024
bro.
did NOT expect the ending. they’re BOTH INSANE ???? like leonard deserved to get his life ruined because he’s a CHEATER but i didn’t think he deserved to be framed for murder until i found out he actually DID murder her ??? and martha knew the whole time and still loved him ? the last paragraph thoughhhh why she kinda eat that. i like that the way the author wrote the story and didn’t make it obvious that leonard and martha were a “bit off”. it really shocked me when i found out it was them. she also threw us off with giving us jim’s pov and bobby’s pov after caroline’s epiphany to make us think it was them. overall a really good read !
did NOT expect the ending. they’re BOTH INSANE ???? like leonard deserved to get his life ruined because he’s a CHEATER but i didn’t think he deserved to be framed for murder until i found out he actually DID murder her ??? and martha knew the whole time and still loved him ? the last paragraph thoughhhh why she kinda eat that. i like that the way the author wrote the story and didn’t make it obvious that leonard and martha were a “bit off”. it really shocked me when i found out it was them. she also threw us off with giving us jim’s pov and bobby’s pov after caroline’s epiphany to make us think it was them. overall a really good read !
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 11, 2022
A mysterious title, interesting synopsis, and a bestselling author. Are these reasons sufficient to pick up a book? Well, sometimes yes, and sometimes no. But these are the reasons that tempted me to request the ARC of The Dark Room by Lisa Gray.
Sadly, I realised these reasons aren’t good enough. *Note to self-*check reviews by trusted reviewers. *
Story description
Ex–crime reporter Leonard Blaylock spends his days on an unusual hobby, developing strangers’ forgotten and discarded rolls of film. He loves the small mysteries the photographs reveal to him. Then Leonard finds something no one would ever expect, or want, to see captured on film—the murder of a young woman.
But that’s impossible because the woman is already dead. Leonard was there when it happened five years earlier.
He has never been able to shake his guilt from that terrible night. It cost Leonard everything: his career, his fiancée, his future. But if the woman didn’t really die, then what actually happened?
I loved the premise of developing undeveloped film rolls and discovering the stories behind them. But the pacing was too slow for my liking. I like fast-paced mysteries. In this book, the words were crawling even slower than ants. It took me a couple of chapters to get into the book, but I was never completely hooked on it.
Why didn’t I DNF it, you ask? Well… no reasons!
The main characters haven’t been flushed out to the core. They could have been developed further. I felt Leonard was despicable to the core. Unfortunately, I can’t recall liking any other character either, even remotely! Their miseries, anxieties, sexual tension, chase or discoveries… I couldn’t bring myself to care about whatever was happening in their lives… Nada! Zilch!
There is a lot of back and forth, and at one point I struggled to remember what had transpired a few pages ago and, much to my horror, had to go back and re-read to connect the dots.
And the narration drags unnecessarily and is repetitive. The story could have been 30 pages shorter easily.
The ending was good, quite good. It made a lot of sense and plugged the plot holes to quite an extent. But it was flat. I would have loved a dramatic finish.
Despite the intriguing premise, The Dark Room lacks excitement and fails to leave a mark.
Thank you to NetGalley, Amazon Publishing UK, and Thomas Mercer for this ARC of The Dark Room in exchange for an honest review.
Wordsopedia Rating 2.4/5
Sadly, I realised these reasons aren’t good enough. *Note to self-*check reviews by trusted reviewers. *
Story description
Ex–crime reporter Leonard Blaylock spends his days on an unusual hobby, developing strangers’ forgotten and discarded rolls of film. He loves the small mysteries the photographs reveal to him. Then Leonard finds something no one would ever expect, or want, to see captured on film—the murder of a young woman.
But that’s impossible because the woman is already dead. Leonard was there when it happened five years earlier.
He has never been able to shake his guilt from that terrible night. It cost Leonard everything: his career, his fiancée, his future. But if the woman didn’t really die, then what actually happened?
I loved the premise of developing undeveloped film rolls and discovering the stories behind them. But the pacing was too slow for my liking. I like fast-paced mysteries. In this book, the words were crawling even slower than ants. It took me a couple of chapters to get into the book, but I was never completely hooked on it.
Why didn’t I DNF it, you ask? Well… no reasons!
The main characters haven’t been flushed out to the core. They could have been developed further. I felt Leonard was despicable to the core. Unfortunately, I can’t recall liking any other character either, even remotely! Their miseries, anxieties, sexual tension, chase or discoveries… I couldn’t bring myself to care about whatever was happening in their lives… Nada! Zilch!
There is a lot of back and forth, and at one point I struggled to remember what had transpired a few pages ago and, much to my horror, had to go back and re-read to connect the dots.
And the narration drags unnecessarily and is repetitive. The story could have been 30 pages shorter easily.
The ending was good, quite good. It made a lot of sense and plugged the plot holes to quite an extent. But it was flat. I would have loved a dramatic finish.
Despite the intriguing premise, The Dark Room lacks excitement and fails to leave a mark.
Thank you to NetGalley, Amazon Publishing UK, and Thomas Mercer for this ARC of The Dark Room in exchange for an honest review.
Wordsopedia Rating 2.4/5
October 17, 2022
Leonard has just developed a picture of a woman who’s been stabbed. But he’d been there when she died – from a blunt force trauma! How does that make sense? Five years ago, Leonard, a crime journalist, had picked up the girl in a bar, got her drunk, gone back to her hotel room and given her a couple of lines of coke although she claimed she had never done drugs. He was on the bed anticipating a great time, while she’d gone into the bathroom to get a condom, when there was a crash. He’d rushed into the bathroom to find her on the floor, motionless and not breathing, with an obvious headwound, surrounded by a large pool of blood. Envisaging his fiancée dumping him and his career in ruins, he cut and ran. However, his guilt gets him anyway – bye-bye fiancée and full-time career, hullo loneliness. His only escape, and his only companionship comes from a new hobby, which involves buying (eBay, boot sales, bric-a-brac stalls) lost or discarded film cassettes and developing them. He imagines the lifes of the people in the pictures and discusses the hobby on-line, but never meets any of the other hobbyists. The picture of the dead girl was taken recently but he’s not sure where he got the film from. Perhaps it was in a batch that he’d bought from a stall – a batch that he’d been steered to by an online friend. He contacts her, Martha, they agree to meet and a platonic relationship develops quite quickly. Ruling out coincidence, they suspect a set-up. But who and why? The investigation takes up the rest of the book.
The plot works extremely well, perhaps a bit too linear if you read it fast and unthinkingly. However, there are lots of subliminal things going on, always a feeling that no character is quite what they appear to be; always a suspicion that not all is being revealed because no one is ever telling the whole truth. Speaking of characters, the old Leonard is really quite an unlikable fellow, although he seems to be redeemed during the investigation, and the old Martha seems to be too vanilla, but does have hidden depths. An unlikely couple, with unresolved issues, but I think we may be in line to find out more about them and their relationship. As regards the writing style, I found it quite refreshing with a light touch and very easy to glide through, although the author is perhaps a bit enthusiastic about similes. The double twisted ending is surprising, a function of that subliminal feeling I mentioned above. Overall, I don’t think it’s a perfect 5 but equally it’s a solid 4.5.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.
The plot works extremely well, perhaps a bit too linear if you read it fast and unthinkingly. However, there are lots of subliminal things going on, always a feeling that no character is quite what they appear to be; always a suspicion that not all is being revealed because no one is ever telling the whole truth. Speaking of characters, the old Leonard is really quite an unlikable fellow, although he seems to be redeemed during the investigation, and the old Martha seems to be too vanilla, but does have hidden depths. An unlikely couple, with unresolved issues, but I think we may be in line to find out more about them and their relationship. As regards the writing style, I found it quite refreshing with a light touch and very easy to glide through, although the author is perhaps a bit enthusiastic about similes. The double twisted ending is surprising, a function of that subliminal feeling I mentioned above. Overall, I don’t think it’s a perfect 5 but equally it’s a solid 4.5.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.
January 26, 2023
The Darkroom by Lisa Gray
Former crime reporter Leonard spends his time these days on his beloved hobby - developing discarded and forgotten rolls of film. Apparently, there’s a market for this and he buys rolls of film on eBay. But one day, a photo looks particularly disturbing - a dead body of a red headed female. And not only is this disturbing, but familiar - because Leonard was there when she died five years ago. Who is this person and what the heck is happening?
I could not put this book down!! Told in multiple viewpoints, we get to learn about all of the main characters and their part in this mystery. While I can’t say that Leonard was a character I was rooting for, I was certainly invested in his story. This was a quick and easy read, with lots of twists I did not see coming at ALL ( which I love!) I also found the photograph aspect interesting, as I haven’t read much about that subject. Easily one of my favorite reads of 2023 so far!
Thank you to Amazon Publishing and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC! “The Dark Room” is out now.
This review will be shared to my instagram blog (@books_by_the_bottle) shortly.
Former crime reporter Leonard spends his time these days on his beloved hobby - developing discarded and forgotten rolls of film. Apparently, there’s a market for this and he buys rolls of film on eBay. But one day, a photo looks particularly disturbing - a dead body of a red headed female. And not only is this disturbing, but familiar - because Leonard was there when she died five years ago. Who is this person and what the heck is happening?
I could not put this book down!! Told in multiple viewpoints, we get to learn about all of the main characters and their part in this mystery. While I can’t say that Leonard was a character I was rooting for, I was certainly invested in his story. This was a quick and easy read, with lots of twists I did not see coming at ALL ( which I love!) I also found the photograph aspect interesting, as I haven’t read much about that subject. Easily one of my favorite reads of 2023 so far!
Thank you to Amazon Publishing and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC! “The Dark Room” is out now.
This review will be shared to my instagram blog (@books_by_the_bottle) shortly.
May 28, 2022
Thank you NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for the copy of The Dark Room. I wish at least one of the characters had been likable or at least sympathetic, but they were all reprehensible. The writing never grabbed me and some of the descriptions were distracting. (The table was flimsy and describing HOW flimsy seemed like filler.) This book had such a great premise and I love the idea of ‘mystery film' and people who develop it. I liked the story for the most part and the ending was great but the way it was revealed was clunky and disappointing. This could be a great book for you, it just didn’t work for me.
October 25, 2022
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
As soon as I read the blurb for this book, I knew I had to read it.
It was a fantastic read, well fleshed out characters and a good, engaging storyline. A red herring here, a red here there - keeping the reader guessing all the way. I read it in one day - enjoying it throughout, I was pleasantly surprised by the writing and how this wasn’t exactly what I would call your run of the mill thriller.
Overall it was a great read, and I would be very interested to read more from this author.
As soon as I read the blurb for this book, I knew I had to read it.
It was a fantastic read, well fleshed out characters and a good, engaging storyline. A red herring here, a red here there - keeping the reader guessing all the way. I read it in one day - enjoying it throughout, I was pleasantly surprised by the writing and how this wasn’t exactly what I would call your run of the mill thriller.
Overall it was a great read, and I would be very interested to read more from this author.
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