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Dark Web
On a freezing winter night, the body of a teenager is found in the snow.
Mike and Callie Simpkins moved north to restart their lives and get their finances back on track. Their son Braxton immerses himself in an online game-world of crime and gangs. When he decides to meet some of the players in the real world, tragedy strikes ...
Detective John Swift must untangle a web of virtual and real crimes in order to solve this complex mystery. And as the family copes with unimaginable grief, even Braxton's stepfather, Mike, comes under suspicion.
Mike and Callie Simpkins moved north to restart their lives and get their finances back on track. Their son Braxton immerses himself in an online game-world of crime and gangs. When he decides to meet some of the players in the real world, tragedy strikes ...
Detective John Swift must untangle a web of virtual and real crimes in order to solve this complex mystery. And as the family copes with unimaginable grief, even Braxton's stepfather, Mike, comes under suspicion.
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First published March 4, 2015
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About the author
T.J. Brearton
46 books387 followersTimothy James Brearton lives in the Adirondack Mountains with his wife and three children. He's loved thrillers and police stories for most of his life. HABIT follows broken cop Brendan Healy down the rabbit hole of a human trafficking conspiracy. DEAD GONE delivers Florida cop Tom Lange into a criminal underworld and THE KILLING TIME introduces FBI agent Shannon Ames, a country girl in the big city.
http://tjbrearton.net/about
http://tjbrearton.net/about
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 101 reviews
October 11, 2015
3.5
I have been on quite a mystery thriller kick recently and was immediately interested by the plot of "Dark Web".
Mike and Callie Simkins have recently moved in order to try and get their finances back on track. Their son Braxton starts to withdraw from them as he gets involved with the dark and dangerous part of the internet frequently called the dark web. As Braxton gets more involved he makes a dangerous decision to meet with the people he's been connecting with online. A families worst nightmare comes true as Braxton is found dead, covered in snow, on a road not far from where he lives.
This was a very interesting and gripping story about a devastated family that wants to find out why their thirteen year old son was murdered. The police and especially Detective John Swift dig deeper into the case investigating to try and find who killed Braxton and the motive behind this heinous crime. Nobody is safe from suspicion.
I thought the book was well-written and flowed well. Lots of strong characters and it was interesting to learn more about the police procedures and the dark side of the internet. However, there were times that I found it a bit long and some of the tech speak went over my head. But I was still very interested in the story and I waited anxiously to see what would happen next. It kept me guessing throughout but really picked up the pace in the second half of the book, holding my attention until the end.
This was my first T.J. Brearton read and I look forward to reading more.
I was provided a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I have been on quite a mystery thriller kick recently and was immediately interested by the plot of "Dark Web".
Mike and Callie Simkins have recently moved in order to try and get their finances back on track. Their son Braxton starts to withdraw from them as he gets involved with the dark and dangerous part of the internet frequently called the dark web. As Braxton gets more involved he makes a dangerous decision to meet with the people he's been connecting with online. A families worst nightmare comes true as Braxton is found dead, covered in snow, on a road not far from where he lives.
This was a very interesting and gripping story about a devastated family that wants to find out why their thirteen year old son was murdered. The police and especially Detective John Swift dig deeper into the case investigating to try and find who killed Braxton and the motive behind this heinous crime. Nobody is safe from suspicion.
I thought the book was well-written and flowed well. Lots of strong characters and it was interesting to learn more about the police procedures and the dark side of the internet. However, there were times that I found it a bit long and some of the tech speak went over my head. But I was still very interested in the story and I waited anxiously to see what would happen next. It kept me guessing throughout but really picked up the pace in the second half of the book, holding my attention until the end.
This was my first T.J. Brearton read and I look forward to reading more.
I was provided a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
December 4, 2023
That was a trip deep down a rabbit hole. All because of pettiness
July 25, 2017
This was a mystery about a 13 year old boy found dead out in the snow. There were some twists and turns throughout making me change my mind several times about who did it. There was also a technology/internet aspect which was interesting. I wanted to know more about that. The pacing of the story was inconsistent for me and there were parts I couldn't put down and parts I wanted to skim through. Overall a good thriller that I am glad I read.
February 10, 2016
Dark Web is a dark and gripping read.
The story starts off with the body of a boy found in the middle of the road in the early hours of the morning. Straight away alarm bells were ringing in my head. Why would someone of a young age be out on their own and especially at that time of night?
Within no time Detective John Swift has narrowed it down to the house where the boy must live. I have to admit when Callie, the boy's mother, goes to answer the door, I could very much feel the fear and dread of what she was going to be told by the person on the other side. Callie's sixth sense proves to be correct and her utter devastation and heartbreak just flowed through the pages.
Mike, Callie's husband and the boy's stepfather, really has to step up to the mark and hold the family together at this devastating time. Only problem is, is that the police, as is the usual case, starts looking at the closet people to the victim first.
I really felt for Mike. He doesn't have a great relationship with his own father and he now has to deal with the loss of a boy that he has been a father to for eight years. His wife has understandably gone to pieces but he knows he can't crumble as they have another two children to look after as well as explain to, that their big brother won't be coming back home. If that isn't enough, he soon realises that he is under suspicion.
Dark Web really makes it hit home about how little most parents know of what their children get up to on the internet. The internet can be such a dark and evil place and it can be very deceiving. It certainly will give readers food for thought.
Full of mystery and suspense, Dark Web is certainly a story that will grab the reader from the beginning, right through to the very end. It certainly kept me guessing!
Many thanks to the author for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The story starts off with the body of a boy found in the middle of the road in the early hours of the morning. Straight away alarm bells were ringing in my head. Why would someone of a young age be out on their own and especially at that time of night?
Within no time Detective John Swift has narrowed it down to the house where the boy must live. I have to admit when Callie, the boy's mother, goes to answer the door, I could very much feel the fear and dread of what she was going to be told by the person on the other side. Callie's sixth sense proves to be correct and her utter devastation and heartbreak just flowed through the pages.
Mike, Callie's husband and the boy's stepfather, really has to step up to the mark and hold the family together at this devastating time. Only problem is, is that the police, as is the usual case, starts looking at the closet people to the victim first.
I really felt for Mike. He doesn't have a great relationship with his own father and he now has to deal with the loss of a boy that he has been a father to for eight years. His wife has understandably gone to pieces but he knows he can't crumble as they have another two children to look after as well as explain to, that their big brother won't be coming back home. If that isn't enough, he soon realises that he is under suspicion.
Dark Web really makes it hit home about how little most parents know of what their children get up to on the internet. The internet can be such a dark and evil place and it can be very deceiving. It certainly will give readers food for thought.
Full of mystery and suspense, Dark Web is certainly a story that will grab the reader from the beginning, right through to the very end. It certainly kept me guessing!
Many thanks to the author for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
September 24, 2015
The first read for me with regards to the author and really I enjoyed the book. The heart of the story is gut wrenching. A 13 year old boy goes out in the middle of the night during a snow storm, and ends up dead in the middle of the road, why was he there? who was he meeting? That's where it gets complicated. A bit of geek talk that a reader could actually understand is part of the story. Just when you think you know what's going on, a new plot appears. A great twisty turny read. I will be on the lookout for more by this author.
January 18, 2020
Author T.J. Brearton has earned his stars by showing considerable skill in portraying a grieving family, but unfortunately he ruins an intriguing mystery with a preposterous ending involving a character written way too clever for his age. To his credit, though, Mr. Brearton exposes his readers to an impressive vocabulary of words like pellucid, moiled, rubato, compaction, limned and viscous. When was the last time you heard any of those?
For a different kind of book about teenage bullying and the evil of Internet gaming, try Sex, Marry, Kill by Todd Travis.
For a different kind of book about teenage bullying and the evil of Internet gaming, try Sex, Marry, Kill by Todd Travis.
October 18, 2015
A winter's eve and the body of a 13 year old boy is discovered by the driver of a snow plough. The boy and his family have just moved here from sunny Florida to start a new life. The grip I would have expected from this book was more like a little nip. It didn't help that some of the characters were a bit weird and others just unlikeable. For instance if money was disappearing from my bank account I wouldn't just carry on but would take steps to sort it out, but not the person in this book! I didn't feel as if I had got to know anyone at all by the time the story had come to the end. However it was easy to read so I would try another book by this author. Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC.
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June 30, 2015Somehow I didn't get on with this book at all.
It starts off ok, a 13 year old, recently moved to the area, boy gets murdered on a very cold snowy night.
Few bits of family history, fair enough.
After this it slows down. Painfully so.
And to me it became boring, I lost interest quite quickly.
Not enough character development either. Just tech stuff, not my cup of tea at all.however if you're into all that you might enjoy the read.
Picks up again slightly towards the end.
Well written. Just didn't do anything to keep me involved.
It starts off ok, a 13 year old, recently moved to the area, boy gets murdered on a very cold snowy night.
Few bits of family history, fair enough.
After this it slows down. Painfully so.
And to me it became boring, I lost interest quite quickly.
Not enough character development either. Just tech stuff, not my cup of tea at all.however if you're into all that you might enjoy the read.
Picks up again slightly towards the end.
Well written. Just didn't do anything to keep me involved.
April 4, 2015
Scary
It's really unnerving what is possible today using the internet. This is really a compelling book and one that is really impossible to put down until the last word is devoured. I strongly recommend this to anyone who really enjoys a great who dunnet with all the twists and turns that keep you reading till the end, unable to stop. Am already looking for another book by this accomplished author.
It's really unnerving what is possible today using the internet. This is really a compelling book and one that is really impossible to put down until the last word is devoured. I strongly recommend this to anyone who really enjoys a great who dunnet with all the twists and turns that keep you reading till the end, unable to stop. Am already looking for another book by this accomplished author.
April 18, 2023
The first one I've read of his and I'm hooked! Brilliant
July 5, 2017
Scary!
Makes you wonder why more YMs don't just truly "hack the planet" but its probably because it's not as easy to do as this book makes it out to be. But for a novel? A fictional story? GOOD STUFF!
Who knows ... Maybe if there were a handful of young or old people in the world who had the interests of the entire planner in their hearts instead of personal gein, or revenge, or some other selfish base reason, and had the technological capability, they WILL hack the planet and save Earth. There are far more good people in this world than bad ones but the baddies get the press. Humans are just weird like that.
Great book! Discovered this author via another on Kindle ...glad I did! Good read! Interesting information! Very well constructed story! Great characters!
Makes you wonder why more YMs don't just truly "hack the planet" but its probably because it's not as easy to do as this book makes it out to be. But for a novel? A fictional story? GOOD STUFF!
Who knows ... Maybe if there were a handful of young or old people in the world who had the interests of the entire planner in their hearts instead of personal gein, or revenge, or some other selfish base reason, and had the technological capability, they WILL hack the planet and save Earth. There are far more good people in this world than bad ones but the baddies get the press. Humans are just weird like that.
Great book! Discovered this author via another on Kindle ...glad I did! Good read! Interesting information! Very well constructed story! Great characters!
June 17, 2016
Dark Web is a chilling crime thriller that takes the reader into a dark world that most of us probably didn’t even know existed. It is a story with lots of twists and turns and each one is more disturbing than the last.
The story begins with the relocation of a family from Florida to a small town called New Brighton in upstate New York. Mike and Callie Simpkins and their three children have only been in their new home for a couple of months when an unthinkable tragedy befalls them. The family implodes and the rest of the novel is both the resolution of the mystery that has engulfed them and a depiction of the kind of personal hell that every family dreads.
T. J. Brearton is an assured story teller who keeps us guessing right until the very end. He somehow manages to cast a shadow over every character and I found myself suspecting everyone as I raced through the novel to find out what had really happened. The ending, when it comes, is both clever and unexpected.
The story is told in the 3rd person from several points of view and consequently there are a few main characters. My favourite is Jack Swift, a seasoned detective who is at odds with the modern world and its dependence on technology. Mike and Callie Simpkins start off as ‘every couple’ but over the course of the novel we realise that they may not be what they first seem. I particularly like the way Brearton has lots of great strong female characters such as the pathologist, Janine Poehler and Brittney Silas the CSI.
Brearton uses the setting of New Brighton to great advantage. The Simpkins arrive in winter and the small town is blanketed in heavy snow which hampers the investigation and creates a feeling of tense isolation. As Brearton describes the icy cold conditions, it matches the chilling incidents taking place within the story.
Much of the investigation involves the dark web of which I had no knowledge until I read this book. It’s a dangerous, murky world and its tentacles reach far and wide. Brearton creates a believable scenario which would terrify even the stoutest of hearts. What this novel highlights is the chasm between the old and new. Jack Swift represents the older, pre-technology generation whilst the younger characters are able to manipulate events from a place that he doesn’t understand.
I really enjoyed this book and it kept me reading well into the wee hours as I just could not put it down. If you like crime thrillers then I think you will love this one.
The story begins with the relocation of a family from Florida to a small town called New Brighton in upstate New York. Mike and Callie Simpkins and their three children have only been in their new home for a couple of months when an unthinkable tragedy befalls them. The family implodes and the rest of the novel is both the resolution of the mystery that has engulfed them and a depiction of the kind of personal hell that every family dreads.
T. J. Brearton is an assured story teller who keeps us guessing right until the very end. He somehow manages to cast a shadow over every character and I found myself suspecting everyone as I raced through the novel to find out what had really happened. The ending, when it comes, is both clever and unexpected.
The story is told in the 3rd person from several points of view and consequently there are a few main characters. My favourite is Jack Swift, a seasoned detective who is at odds with the modern world and its dependence on technology. Mike and Callie Simpkins start off as ‘every couple’ but over the course of the novel we realise that they may not be what they first seem. I particularly like the way Brearton has lots of great strong female characters such as the pathologist, Janine Poehler and Brittney Silas the CSI.
Brearton uses the setting of New Brighton to great advantage. The Simpkins arrive in winter and the small town is blanketed in heavy snow which hampers the investigation and creates a feeling of tense isolation. As Brearton describes the icy cold conditions, it matches the chilling incidents taking place within the story.
Much of the investigation involves the dark web of which I had no knowledge until I read this book. It’s a dangerous, murky world and its tentacles reach far and wide. Brearton creates a believable scenario which would terrify even the stoutest of hearts. What this novel highlights is the chasm between the old and new. Jack Swift represents the older, pre-technology generation whilst the younger characters are able to manipulate events from a place that he doesn’t understand.
I really enjoyed this book and it kept me reading well into the wee hours as I just could not put it down. If you like crime thrillers then I think you will love this one.
December 26, 2015
Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about.
A murder mystery involving an online game, yup, this should've been right up my alley and I sadly have given up at 74%. I don't like to DNF books but in this case I have spent the last two days avoiding reading because every time I sit down to read this I give up after only a few pages or I fall asleep. I could be reading something else and enjoying it much more. Hell in two days I easily could've read an entire book. I've been at this one for 5 days now and it has been a grind. I'm clearly in the minority as a lot of other people have loved this book but it just isn't for me. The story line has dragged majorly and it did get to the point where I was reading it but not actually paying any attention to what I was reading.
Sometimes books that travel a bit slower are helped along by good characters but unfortunately this wasn't the case for Dark Web. The so called Detective John Swift was a bit of a joke. To me he was doing everything he could to stuff up the investigation and was making so many mistakes. Most of the time it felt like none of the character's were doing their jobs correctly. The only character's that got even the slightest bit of interest from me was Callie and Darring but even that isn't enough for me to want to continue on.
At the end of the day there's not much more that I can say. I don't like to be negative but this book wasn't to my liking. I think the only reason I kept at it for as long as I did was because I wanted to know what happened to Braxton and who was responsible. I'm not going to waste any more of my time with this book though. I'm currently on holiday's and would much prefer to be reading something that keeps me interested.
http://harebearshangout.blogspot.com.au
A murder mystery involving an online game, yup, this should've been right up my alley and I sadly have given up at 74%. I don't like to DNF books but in this case I have spent the last two days avoiding reading because every time I sit down to read this I give up after only a few pages or I fall asleep. I could be reading something else and enjoying it much more. Hell in two days I easily could've read an entire book. I've been at this one for 5 days now and it has been a grind. I'm clearly in the minority as a lot of other people have loved this book but it just isn't for me. The story line has dragged majorly and it did get to the point where I was reading it but not actually paying any attention to what I was reading.
Sometimes books that travel a bit slower are helped along by good characters but unfortunately this wasn't the case for Dark Web. The so called Detective John Swift was a bit of a joke. To me he was doing everything he could to stuff up the investigation and was making so many mistakes. Most of the time it felt like none of the character's were doing their jobs correctly. The only character's that got even the slightest bit of interest from me was Callie and Darring but even that isn't enough for me to want to continue on.
At the end of the day there's not much more that I can say. I don't like to be negative but this book wasn't to my liking. I think the only reason I kept at it for as long as I did was because I wanted to know what happened to Braxton and who was responsible. I'm not going to waste any more of my time with this book though. I'm currently on holiday's and would much prefer to be reading something that keeps me interested.
http://harebearshangout.blogspot.com.au
October 10, 2016
Dark web by t j Brearton is a mystery and thriller and general fiction (adult) read.
A family is torn apart by a murder which reveals a dark web of secrets
Who killed a teenager and left the body in the snow?
Mike and Callie Simpkins moved north to restart their lives and get their finances back on track. But their son Braxton withdraws into a dark online world. When he decides to meet some of the players in the real world, tragedy strikes, and the family is torn apart.
A very good read. With great characters. A very enjoyable read. I liked the ending too. highly recommended. 5*. Thanks to netgalley for the arc.
A family is torn apart by a murder which reveals a dark web of secrets
Who killed a teenager and left the body in the snow?
Mike and Callie Simpkins moved north to restart their lives and get their finances back on track. But their son Braxton withdraws into a dark online world. When he decides to meet some of the players in the real world, tragedy strikes, and the family is torn apart.
A very good read. With great characters. A very enjoyable read. I liked the ending too. highly recommended. 5*. Thanks to netgalley for the arc.
June 29, 2016
A fairly solid police procedural, but I was a bit disappointed in the fact that the Dark Web hardly featured in the book at all, which is the reason I chose to read it in the first place.
March 28, 2015
This was another hit from one of my favorite authors
June 5, 2017
A dark web of lies and secrets!
Wow! What a corker of a story! I have never read a book by T J Brearton until now and it certainly won't be the last! This story takes you on a rollercoaster ride of the murder of a young teenager who likes to play online games. You get a real sense of how the characters cope with the death of a child and to find the perpetrator. The pace of the novel was fast moving and cleverly written. I don't like to give too much away but I would highly recommend reading it! Just be prepared!
Wow! What a corker of a story! I have never read a book by T J Brearton until now and it certainly won't be the last! This story takes you on a rollercoaster ride of the murder of a young teenager who likes to play online games. You get a real sense of how the characters cope with the death of a child and to find the perpetrator. The pace of the novel was fast moving and cleverly written. I don't like to give too much away but I would highly recommend reading it! Just be prepared!
May 25, 2017
Dark Web byT.J. Bearton
I revived a copy of this book free . It was very good mystery . A family torn apart by a brutal murder of their 13 year old son. The charters worked well together and the story line moved long smoothly. A lot of clues were there but they didn't come together until the case is finally solved. I will be looking at other books written by T. J. bearton. I recommend this as a good clean mystery. Alice Boni
I revived a copy of this book free . It was very good mystery . A family torn apart by a brutal murder of their 13 year old son. The charters worked well together and the story line moved long smoothly. A lot of clues were there but they didn't come together until the case is finally solved. I will be looking at other books written by T. J. bearton. I recommend this as a good clean mystery. Alice Boni
May 28, 2024
A bit slower pace than I prefer but still moved along well enough that I stuck with it. Some technical difficulties for me as computers are not my forte but things were explained fairly well because the lead detective is also not tech savvy.
There were a few words that I didn’t know which is rare for me because I have a fairly extensive vocabulary.
Great story, definite surprises. Not a favorite of mine but still a good book.
There were a few words that I didn’t know which is rare for me because I have a fairly extensive vocabulary.
Great story, definite surprises. Not a favorite of mine but still a good book.
August 21, 2017
Explosive thriller!
Wow! This was so intense, riveting, and suspenseful from beginning to end. The characters were so well written, and the story sad, but also explosive with twists and turns so deep that I couldn't put it down. The surprise ending will keep you thinking about it for just a little bit longer.
Wow! This was so intense, riveting, and suspenseful from beginning to end. The characters were so well written, and the story sad, but also explosive with twists and turns so deep that I couldn't put it down. The surprise ending will keep you thinking about it for just a little bit longer.
October 29, 2017
pretty good
ugh writing a review after your kindle eats your first few is draining.
I took a break from reading and this was a good book to plop back into the swing of reading. the characters are pretty solid and feel real. I didnt really expect the ending to be what it was. id probably recommend this to people.
ugh writing a review after your kindle eats your first few is draining.
I took a break from reading and this was a good book to plop back into the swing of reading. the characters are pretty solid and feel real. I didnt really expect the ending to be what it was. id probably recommend this to people.
January 28, 2023
Happily Ever After
I keep reading T. J. Brearton books because I love the way he writes. You want to keep on reading. You think you know how it all will end, but you don’t. There is that one key person you didn’t know about. Nobody did. T. J. has done it again. Thanks for the ride.
I keep reading T. J. Brearton books because I love the way he writes. You want to keep on reading. You think you know how it all will end, but you don’t. There is that one key person you didn’t know about. Nobody did. T. J. has done it again. Thanks for the ride.
March 13, 2017
Suspenseful
With Braxton's death and a game called "Don" the police try and find his killer and need to search where they have never gone before " The Dark Web ". Great read. Hard to put down. Loved the characters.
With Braxton's death and a game called "Don" the police try and find his killer and need to search where they have never gone before " The Dark Web ". Great read. Hard to put down. Loved the characters.
October 18, 2018
This was an unusual story and if your into gaming and computers you will,probably appreciate it more. I enjoyed the mystery and suspense but I could'nt really get into any of the characters. As murder mysteries go it was worth reading.
September 1, 2019
FANTASTIC READING
This has been an incredible novel that kept me in a WOW! mode chapter after chapter. I really did read it way past my bedtime and loved every page. T.J. BREARTON novels never disappoint and this one was FABULOUS!!
This has been an incredible novel that kept me in a WOW! mode chapter after chapter. I really did read it way past my bedtime and loved every page. T.J. BREARTON novels never disappoint and this one was FABULOUS!!
October 9, 2019
Dark Webb
This started out well, then seemed to get a bit bogged down in the middle with too many different tangents at once. Then about three quarters of the way through really got moving again, with an interesting ending
This started out well, then seemed to get a bit bogged down in the middle with too many different tangents at once. Then about three quarters of the way through really got moving again, with an interesting ending
December 7, 2019
A "must read" for lovers of crime thrillers
A family torn apart. A tired law enforcement officer, and police politics. And at the heart of it all is a twisted mind using the internet for his own ends.
This was, for me, a satisfying and exciting read. I loved it.
A family torn apart. A tired law enforcement officer, and police politics. And at the heart of it all is a twisted mind using the internet for his own ends.
This was, for me, a satisfying and exciting read. I loved it.
March 7, 2022
The book started very well with the suspense. But near the middle the plot did not hold the suspense anymore. The unravelling of the mystery was quite a bit simplistic according to me.
I cannot say more as it might become a spoiler :P
I cannot say more as it might become a spoiler :P
Read
November 6, 2024This author is relatively new to me. The previous books I have read grabbed at the first page. I found this one hard to read. The actual plot of the story didn't become clear to me until the last few pages. Just seemed like it was all over the place.
March 18, 2025
A thirteen year old boy is found dead in the snow. The mystery slowly unravels at a good pace. The final twist is a good one which isn’t that easy to guess. I have read many of Brearton’s novels, and I have enjoyed them all.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 101 reviews