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Pitch Dark

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One girl disappeared. After fifteen years, her cold lifeless body was found on the damp forest floor. Not an inch of her was unmarked by the horrors she endured. Alone, malnourished, abused in horrific ways; this was how she died.

One girl was found walking the streets, covered in dirt and scars. She had no memory of who she was, where she came from, or what happened to her. Even though the marks on her body attested to years of heinous abuse, her strength shone through at every turn.

Revenge and justice were sworn.

Years of searching brought up nothing but dead ends. Detective Niko James was too late to save his childhood friend, but he vows not to let down another.

The clock is ticking and the trail is pitch dark.

424 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 3, 2017

425 people are currently reading
3968 people want to read

About the author

A.M. Wilson

22 books818 followers
A. M. Wilson is a USA Today & Amazon Top 20 bestselling author of contemporary romance. She loves writing small town romances and dark suspenseful reads, depending on her mood that day. When she isn’t furiously typing on her computer, she can be found searching for her next all-consuming read. A. M. lives in the Midwest with her husband, two children, and two adorable dogs.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 379 reviews
Profile Image for ❥ KAT ❥ Kitty Kats Crazy About Books.
2,622 reviews10.9k followers
July 16, 2023
The past week I've seen this being boomeranged on my facebook feed by the author so I knew a re-read was in need after inhaling this one like previous I'm excited to jump into the next one.

MY RATING: 4.5 STARS PITCH DARK: is a stand-alone, full-length, dark, romance novel and is co- written by A.M. Wilson and Alex Grayson. This does flit from ‘Past to present.’ And is spoken in 'Dual Perspectives'

Going into this I didn’t know what to expect so was really unprepared for how much this book would grab me by the throat and not let go, from the first page to the last I was riveted. Both of these authors are new to me, but that is definitely going to change after this book.

Niko (eight) and Aislin (six) met when Aislin and her mother moved next door, a rough neighbourhood, filled with gunshots heard throughout the night, drugs and rife with gangs, Niko had two loving, doting parents, whereas Aislin was being raised by a drug addict mother with a revolving door of men coming and going.

As the years progressed their friendship also grew, friendship bracelets exchanged, and they vouched to the other that they would always be together, to protect each other from the harsh realities they lived in.

Until Aislin disappeared

Niko James has been searching for his childhood sweetheart Aislin, she’d vanished into thin air, the police never took her case seriously and just put it down to another young runaway, so the case turned cold, but Niko knew differently, for one, he always found her when she needed to be by herself, two she’d never leave him behind. Ever.

I was her protector, and she was my North Star, lighting up my world and making it seem less harsh.

She'd been missing for fifteen years. And within that time Niko vowed to never give up, to always keep searching for his friend.

His goal then was to become a police officer and then a detective t find out exactly what happened to Aislin and to help other girls in similar situations.

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So just imagine his unbearable pain when a body has turned up in the woods confirming to be Aislin. She doesn't look anything like his childhood friend. Her hair has chunks missing out of it, her face is black and blue, fully covered with bruises and fresh lacerations maring her once beautiful face beyond recognition, her eyes and cheek bones look beyond gaunt, like a holocaust victim, malnourished and dehydrated, what surely must've been a slow and painful death. Over one hundred and fifty scars were discovered on her body.

Aislin Kennedy Mathers. Date of birth: July 21, 1989
Date of death: August 30th, 2017
She's safe among the stars.


And then another girl Jane Doe barefoot and with similar cuts and bruises marring her body is found wandering the street in Niko's neighbourhood. She has no memory of who she was, where she came from, or what happened to her. The same night she was picked up by the police someone was outside Niko's house, gunshots were fired, are the two connected?

She's become an obsession, almost as bad as Aislin. The need to find out more about her, where she was when she disappeared, what happened to her.

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Twist and turns that will further pull you into the story, whiplash as leads to Aislins death turn out to be dead ends. Seconds, minutes, hours as you read you hope, pray for a happy outcome.

 

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Profile Image for The Sassy Bookworm.
4,057 reviews2,871 followers
September 13, 2017
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descriptionI love the cover on this book. Perfect representation of the story. Fantastic compostion and unique title work.description

descriptionWOWZA...this is the second book in a week that has emotionally wrung me out. I'll admit I wasn't expecting to be as blown away by this book as I ended up being. It was heartbreaking. It was brutal. It was uplifting.

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I also found it to be fantastically well written and paced. The plot was interesting and kept me turning the pages. There were twists and turns. We jump back and forth from the past to present. Some of those flashbacks were extremely difficult to read and rather graphic. The others offer us a glimpse into Nico's childhood/teen relationship with Aislin. There wasn't a lot of secondary characters in this one, but the few that are peppered throughout added a nice extra dynamic to the book. I also enjoyed both main characters. Nico especially. My heart just broke for this guy. His regret and sadness and anger saturated the pages making the ending that much sweeter.

Now what stopped this from being a complete 5-Star read for me was the fact that it was LONG. And although I was never bored or felt like skimming I DID feel that sometimes it got a bit repetitive. Especially Nico's inner thoughts. That was just a tiny issue and didn't lessen my enjoyment much at all. So this one gets two HUGE thumbs up from yours truly.description

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Profile Image for Philomena Callan Cheekypee.
4,007 reviews431 followers
September 15, 2017
Oh wow. I know starting this review that no matter what I say I won't be able to give this book the credit it deserves. I'm not gonna go into storyline. I do believe you need to jump into this and feel.

Firstly I was so happy this wasn't a quick read. When I wasn't reading it I was thinking about it and wishing I was reading it. This book got under my skin. My emotions were all over the place.

This story ain't for the faint hearted. It's on the dark side but I'd say it's more of a psychological read as it messed with my head (in a good way if that's possible)

Great praise for these two authors who wrote a brilliant book that will stay with me for along time.
I'm looking forward to reading more from both these authors in the future.
Profile Image for Laura Lee.
957 reviews174 followers
September 7, 2017
Pitch Dark
By: A.M. Wilson and Alex Grayson
4.5 Stars

Well my goodness!!! Popping a double cherry with this book. Two New to Me authors and what a book to pop my cherry with. A page turner from the very first page till the last. Sat down yesterday and started this one, pulled me in immediately…didn’t stop till I finished late last night.

This is a different story, one that is full of emotion. One for the young boy who lost his best friend. Now a Detective, 15 years have passed and he is still looking for his best friend. Refusing to give up, his life has revolved solely around finding the girl who just disappeared.

From the highs of possibly getting a break in the case, to the lows of just another dead end on the lead, this story tells a fantastic tale of what a person goes through when a loved one goes missing. Never give up hope and continue to live each day searching.

The star that shines the brightest is the North Star. If you keep looking, hopefully one day your path will be paved in the direction the brightest star is shining!!!

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Profile Image for Selene.
933 reviews266 followers
November 1, 2017
➳ Crime fiction lite
Writing style: 3/5
Cover art: 5/5
HEA?
Triggers? Yes.

A childhood promise. Fifteen years later, it still remains unfulfilled and Detective Niko is more determined than ever to find his best friend, Aislin, who disappeared when she was just thirteen years old. The past and present intertwine and the reader meets a pre-teen Niko as well as his fourteen year-old self as he struggles to control his emotions while watching the adults around him make the important decisions for him and Aislin.

The trigger warnings sort of deterred me from picking up this book, but I'm glad I gave this story a try. The GLOWING reviews piqued my interest and the blurb won me over, but this story was predictable, filled with noticeable plot holes, and I struggled with the level of believability throughout the book. Okay, so I wasn’t expecting a detailed police procedural, but Niko spent a good amount of time trying to convince the reader how productive and experienced of a detective he was. It had the opposite effect because there was more telling of his efficiency versus demonstrating how skillful he really was. His basic thoughts?

► Part of my job is to always be aware of my surroundings.
► I’ve been on the force for a long time, and that gut feeling has steered me right more often than not.
► I’m an officer of the law, and it’s my job to uphold that law, but there are times I’m also just a man who really wants to beat the fuck out of people.


Niko’s thoughts were monotonous and the length of this book probably could’ve been reduced if some of those repetitive pieces were removed altogether because they added nothing to the story nor to the weight of his character.

At forty percent in, it was easy to guess how one of the major elements surrounding the mysterious Aislin’s disappearance would evolve because the reader was fed Niko’s every thought and pending action, and because no other avenues were explored.

The upside of this story?
► The flashback chapters were captivating.
► There were charming friendship-building scenes between Doe and Niko. The dialogue between the two (when they visited the jewelry shop in Florida) was revealing and gave the reader a glimpse into their future.
► The tension between Reece and Niko was a good shift. I always enjoy a bit of sibling drama/ foolery and the strained conversations between the two brothers was low on the drama scale but still amusing.

Minor issues
► Niko barked, growled, and snarled more than his dog, Betsy, ever did.
► I loved the first page of this book! It was refreshing to get back to reading a male’s POV and that first page of the prologue had me salivating for more! But then each coming paragraph was accompanied by every variation of the f-word (used 115 times) and that became very annoying for me and felt like overkill! The upside is that Niko’s use of f-bombs decreased as the story went on.
► The writing style in Lelu’s chapters really irked me. It was written from third-person POV but it wasn’t a singular perspective. No, it was a shifting POV and almost every other sentence shifted to the “girl” or to her captor. That style got old quickly and I had to slow my reading pace in those sections to make sure I was reading Lelu’s thoughts versus her abductor’s because the sentences were mixed in without clear distinction besides a paragraph break.

MAJOR ISSUES
Everything shifted together at warp speed and curtailed to a very neat and tidy conclusion! This could’ve been a fantastic novel but the plot holes became magnified at that point and the twists in this story had me rolling my eyes because they weren’t true twists if they were foreseeable early on! And the issues continue on...

► Niko was assigned to his bestie’s case, but what Captain would ever approve of that enormous conflict of interest? However, I suspended reality for lots of gray areas throughout this book, so what was one more?

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There were so many questionable pieces of this story that needed to be fine-tuned. The premise was great, but I struggled with this story’s deliverance. I probably would’ve loved this book had I read it a year ago, but after reading some more gritty and intense crime fiction stories such as White Rabbit and The Good Daughter, I tend to love main characters who carry more weight and dimension (characterization wise) so this book fell short for me. I simply needed more action from Niko besides his humdrum thoughts.

◆ In sum, this book was 98% weak crime fiction and 2% rekindled romance. The epilogue gave me a cavity because it was sugary sweet and raining down with all kinds of tasty goodness, and I sort of liked it.
Profile Image for Natshane.
536 reviews52 followers
September 9, 2017
A.M. Wilson and Alex Grayson delivered a heart-wrenching story that leaves readers speechless and craving for more.

If you are looking for fluffy and romantic romance, turn away now, this book is nothing but pitch dark and the authors do not attempt to sugarcoat the intense violence and hopelessness in their characters. It was brutal, raw and heartbreaking - definitely not the faint heart!

Pitch Dark was my most anticipated read of the month because the blurb itself was a 5-stars rating. It's literally tough to write this review because I know whatever I write would not live up to my feelings for the story, and it will somehow be lost in translation.

This story captures the essence of an abused and tortured victim, of her learning how to live among people and building her confidence again, and you are reminded of how many things we took for granted from the society. Detective Niko James vowed to hunt down the person who kidnapped his childhood best friend, Aislin. In fact, she is the reason why he became an enforcer of the law, until the day they found a body in the woods 15 years after she was taken.



Jane "Doe" was found wandering the streets barefoot, covered in scars and marks unimaginable to man, a reflection of the horrors she endured yet she has no recollection of memories of how they happened, only the pain. Lost and afraid, she managed to find comfort in Niko, but he is hiding demons of his own. If only she can remember.



I swear my heart was torn into two, I was so engrossed in the story I finished it in one sitting, all the while wanting to punch the psychotic b*****d in the nuts, give Doe a huge hug and cry with Niko over his heartbreak. It was a pit hole of darkness, despair, and desperation, yet there was a silver lining at the end of the story and the epilogue had me in tears.



I love dark romance and had my fair share of them, but this may be my favorite one yet!

Thank you L Woods PR for the reviewing opportunity and the authors for generously providing an ARC of the book!

*All images are extracted from the teaser packet for Pitch Dark.

UPDATE: OH MY GAWD. THAT.COVER.IS.BEYOND.MY.EXPECTATIONS!!!!
Profile Image for Nic Spears.
592 reviews41 followers
September 14, 2017
Jesus wept!!! Talk about a story that punches you straight in the gut.

I have no words right now, literally no words that will justify just how good this book was.

What Alex and A.M have delivered is a heart wrenching story that will leave you completely speechless.

To fully appreciate the magnitude and mystery of this story you need to go in blind, so I'm not going to tell you anything. But be prepared.
It's brutal.
It's raw.
And it's incredibly graphic and not for the feint of hearts. I flinched and cringed so many times while reading some of this and normally it doesn't bother me.

If you can get past that, you will fall in love with this story and its characters.
Alex and A.M have not only delivered a gripping story, they have delivered a masterpiece with "Pitch Dark".
You can feel the blood, sweat and tears gone into writing this book and it is worth so much more than the 5 stars I'm giving.

I didn't expect this story going in. I didn't expect to be knocked on my arse, gasping for breath only a couple of pages in, but by god did I love every bit of the emotional ringer I was put through.

Definitely one of my top reads for 2017!!!
Profile Image for CC.
1,255 reviews730 followers
November 15, 2017


Aislin Mathers was a girl trying to survive in a rough neighborhood and in a household with a drug addicted mother. When Aislin befriended a neighbor boy, he became her sole respite from reality until one day she disappears without a trace.

“I’m so sorry,” she says softly. “You got hurt because of me.”

Fifteen years later, Detective Niko James can’t stop looking for his best friend and the light in his life, Aislin. Feeling like he should have protected her on that fateful day, he is dedicated to finding and keeping her safe.

“I’m not sure how I’ll survive knowing the truth, knowing I didn’t protect the one person I was meant to protect.”

With Niko following all leads to find Aislin, he doesn’t stop looking for answers in order to bring justice to her. Returning to their hometown seems to heighten Niko’s memories until he receives the news he’s been dreading. Trying to focus on a new missing persons case seems to help harness his kinetic energy and offers an opportunity to give someone a second chance.

“She’s very perplexing, and the more I’m around her, the more I want to figure out her story."

Told primarily in first person, the landscape of this plot is measured and full of possible suspects and motives. Additionally, there is a much darker and mysterious perspective that adds to the tension and emphasizes the horrors of its situation. This POV is in third person, and while at first it caused some pause, the authors’ intent is purposeful and effective. Experiencing the layers of loss through Niko’s eyes is sad and sometimes his quest seems fruitless but he perseveres. With clues scattered throughout the storyline, the ultimate reveal is quite twisty and unexpected.

In this novel, the collaboration of these two authors felt seamless and they convincingly captured the ominous circumstance surrounding such horrendous circumstances. Though there were plot points that could have been tightened up, the overall tone of loss and the effects of long-term abuse were effective. With light at the end of this book, the epilogue felt a little too extended but provided insight into recovery.

Overall, Pitch Dark is a suspenseful story about a man’s search to find what he’s lost and about surviving dark and difficult times.




*This was a (F)BR with Twinsie Hawkey!*



description
description
Profile Image for Nazanin.
1,283 reviews837 followers
March 30, 2021
3 Stars

She was lost for almost 15 years and now that they found her, she was tortured, beaten, bruised, raped and dead. Niko felt so much guilt because at the time, he couldn’t protect her but now he promised to her dead body that she will be avenged…

Told in multiple POV, both in 1st and 3rd person, it’s a standalone novel. This story is really Dark. It can take you out of your comfort zone with all the described violence/rape scenes. I wish there was a bit more of romance to balance the darkness. I didn’t see the twist coming but the ending was a let down, let’s just say it was cliché. I expected something stronger. Overall, it was an OK read and hope you enjot it more than me but proceed with caution!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for A Book Lover's Emporium Book Blog.
2,816 reviews171 followers
September 10, 2017
I love this genre; it gets your mind going as you're trying to work things out and keeps you intrigued all the way through. Well this book was definitely one of those. I had loads to do yesterday, but thought I'd just have half an hour and get started on this. After ten minutes my feet were up, coffee at my side, I wasn't going anywhere or doing anything until I'd read it.

There are twists and turns as you expect and want from a story like this. It gave me some bad nervous butterflies at times and I absolutely love reading something that stirs all those feelings that you would hate to feel in real life. There were parts I had worked out but was still questioning myself all the way through, but there were also parts that I would've never have guessed.

Both authors have done a fantastic job with this, it flowed so well I was instantly pulled in and the pages just kept turning. I wouldn't hesitate to one click either of these authors in the future.
Profile Image for Alex ♈.
1,568 reviews1,405 followers
dnf
September 18, 2017
DNF at 27%

WARNING!!! DARK TRIGGERS!!! SPOILERS!!!

Profile Image for warhawke.
1,549 reviews2,237 followers
November 9, 2017
Genre: Dark Suspense
Type: Standalone
POV: Dual - shifting
Rating:




Niko James had an unfinished business. As a detective, his job was to solve crime, but there was one unsolved case that had taken over half his life - the disappearance of his childhood best friend Aislin Mathers fifteen years ago.

When a new case came in with a Jane Doe that reminded him of Aislin, he was determined to give the woman back her life and nail the monster down.



The book first caught my attention with the cover. And then the blurb sold me. I'm glad to found and enjoyed this book.

I’m an officer of the law, and it’s my job to uphold that law, but there are times I’m also just a man who really wants to beat the fuck out of people.


I definitely sympathized with Niko with what he had to live with. I could feel his guilt, frustration and anger. I like his determination even though it's bordering on obsession, at the same time he could be very patient when the situation needed it.



I enjoyed the storyline and the mystery/suspense element added to the intrigue. It kept me forming theories and questioning things which I love in books because it helped me keep my attention. One thing though about this book, I think it's a tad too long with some unnecessary details. Also, I wish the epilogue was simplified and tightened up more.

There’s something incredibly painful about trying to hold down the hope when all it wants to do is rise up and be set free.


Pitch Dark is a story of a man's tenacity in uncovering the truth. It would appeal to fans of dark suspense.

Note: There were some graphic and puke inducing scenes lol!



🗡 ✴️ 🗡 . . . (F)BR With Twinsie CC . . . 🗡 ✴️ 🗡



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Profile Image for Helen Power.
Author 10 books631 followers
December 14, 2022
I’ve read one other book by Alex Grayson, so I kind of knew what I was getting into when I picked up this book. I love angsty dark readings that have HEAs, and on that front, this book definitely delivers!
It’s very, very, very dark. You 100% should check out the triggers if you have any triggers whatsoever. It’s an extreme slow burn romance, and if you’re looking for spice or even some steam, this isn’t the book for you.
My only real complaint about the book is that it’s incredibly slow in the beginning. I think the hero and heroine don’t meet until at least 100 pages in. We don’t really get many POV scenes from the heroine until later on. And her POV scenes are ***highly*** disturbing, since she’s still held captive in the beginning of the book. I’m not complaining about the disturbingness, I’m just wondering if maybe they could have met much sooner, and those scenes could have been offered as flashbacks instead.
All in all, if you’re looking to have your heart ripped out and crudely stitched back in, this is the book for you!
Triggers:
HEA?
Detailed HEA Spoiler - don’t read unless you want the end of the book spoiled:
Profile Image for Kate.
2,277 reviews356 followers
September 1, 2017

As spoiler free as possible and a very, very, very honest review from yours truly.

A walk through for a taste of heaven.

Niko James is a detective and has been looking for his childhood sweetheart for 15 years. Everyone was convinced that she ran away when instead she was kidnapped.

Going to be frank here, I don't like Niko. His frustration didn't come across as being sincere. It was laid on rather thick. IMO.

His anger with the situation is understandable but also here it was too much to make it believable. He was hung up on her but I did feel that was true. Even the flashbacks to the past didn’t help.

The times where I did like him was when he was with Doe. He was softer not such an aggravating little shit. He had too much introspection going on and was repetitive numerous times of things that we already knew. What also bothered me was the Hero oh I don’t mean to be a douchebag but I’ll be one anyway inconsiderate arse.

The heroine of the book had great characterization. Her struggle is real. You feel for her and what she must deal with. Her journey progresses from scared mouse with memory loss to a strong heroine. She didn't work me up as much as the Hero.

After pushing past the first 25% because you know not a lot happens here. I wrote to my friend Eve to have a good old moan and how pants this book was. I came to the conclusion that I would continue and it improved. The writing style isn’t my cuppa. We have the Hero’s POV and throughout the book The Girl’s POV which was confusing. I don’t think that it can be considered to be dark romance but a thriller. Then we were finally getting somewhere and the Dad has a heart attack and they are off to Florida. Insert roll eye right here.

As you can tell I have a lot of mixed emotions here and still can't decide if I like it or not. I finally accepted that he'd moved on and that twist ruined all the work that convinced me that he had moved on. I’m divided on that twist. I felt the authors had to wrap up the ending and squeezed it into an epilogue just to give them a complete HEA. I felt desensitized when it came to the dark content of the book. Now although I read the book this doesn't mean that I am in accord with the content. You know why? Because it is fiction.

Should it bother me that the two cases they mentioned weren't solved otherwise I don't know why they were added



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Profile Image for Carla .
1,664 reviews531 followers
September 19, 2017
Que livro espetacular! Fiquei extremamente surpresa com a história. Narrado principalmente pelo personagem principal, as autoras conseguiram dar a ele uma mente brilhante, apaixonada e sensível!!!! Não consegui parar até a última linha!
Amei!!!!!! Vale muito a leitura!
Profile Image for Dri ✰.
693 reviews239 followers
September 17, 2017
4,5 "My North Star" stars!!!

WHAT A BOOK!!!!

"You know me. You’re my North. No one messes with my North."

Eu nem sei o que dizer sobre esse livro!
Apesar de minha suspeita mais um vez estar certa, o desenrolar dos fatos me deixou de boca aberta!
E isso que é maravilhoso, você achar que já desvendou tudo e na página seguinte ser surpreendida ao perceber que não sabia nem 10% da verdade.

Ao meu ver, a história foi muito bem construída e mesmo achando o final um pouco corrido comparado ao resto, nada ficou sem resposta.

A narrativa é ótima, te prende e te deixa sempre querendo saber mais e mais!!
Tenho a sensação de que vou ficar pensando nessa história por um bom tempo...

Valeu demais a leitura e eu adorei!!!
Fãs de dark romance, se joguem!
Recomendo demais! <3

Ressaca básica!!!




Profile Image for Shabby  -BookBistroBlog.
1,935 reviews988 followers
August 30, 2017
A riveting tale of criminal intents and lost loves, that will stick to your heart and keep you burning midnight oil to finish the book .
The worst kind of tragedy in this world is a child being kidnapped . Their disappearance is horrific for both the child and the parent and their loved ones. There are so many monsters , predators lurking in the shadows , waiting for the opportune moment to grab them for their nefarious deeds
description
I shudder so hard at that prospect for any kid. The story sends shivers down your spine. The chilling sequence of events that lead to Aislin's dissappearnace is the start of inhumane torture, abuse and sexual assault on the poor girl and frustrating for her best buddy and next door neighbour - Niko James. He not only loses his best friend but his "North Star".
description
The story covers a span of 15 years . Of heartbreak, frustration and rage. He grows up to be a cop and runs around blind corners, knocking on dead ends, stumbling over false leads.
It's agonising to watch him helpless & angry .

She was the one who kept the small spark of light shining off in the distance. Without her, that light will disappear for good. I may have family and friends who care for me, but I’ll still be alone because she won’t there anymore.I’m not ready to let it go yet . I’m not sure if I ever will. I know it’s an unhealthy obsession to keep something that’s connected to a dead girl, but Aislin was so much more than just a girl.

description
The story is dark , no doubt, but not pitch dark ( that's just my opinion) cause I have read some darker , reads. But the twists, turns, surprises in the story will keep you glued to this book.
The story is very well written, the plot thickens and builds in tension as it goes. It's very well researched project, definitely. Small details are sprinkled throughout the story to give authenticity. The pace is quite fast , despite the time span. You feel as if the perpetrator is just beyond the reach of your fingertips, and it makes the journey heart pounding and grossly captivating.
The feels are very strong. Characters are so endearing and likeable. It's not rushed and Doe takes baby steps to build trust and relation. Her fear is very real and palpable. Niko is very alpha protector , he exudes strength and safety. The poignant rediscovery of life by both Niko and Doe brought tears to my eyes. It's so thoughtfully worded , I loved the blossoming relationship. And Betsy is just adorable
I wish gruesome and strictest punishment and death sentence for such heinous crimes.
Couple of things that seemed odd to me , so I'm taking away half a star just for that.
4.5 Heart Thumping Stars
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Profile Image for ☾ Nikki. ✿ SUGARVOGUE..
664 reviews67 followers
December 3, 2017
This was quite a good read. It was a bit hard to read at some parts because of what happened to the poor heroine in this book and overall it was quite a dark book to read.

The writing style was good also.

I liked the ending, but I didn't LOVE it..

Although the epilogue was cute :)
Profile Image for Alecia (The Staircase Reader).
1,111 reviews75 followers
September 9, 2017
description

ARC received through L. Woods PR

***SPOILER FREE REVIEW***

First off I'd like to thank A.M. Wilson and Alex Grayson for the many f*cked up dreams this novel gave me. I'm not a baby, I'm far from it. I love horror movies, I love being scared, I love the fear induced adrenaline that sends my heart racing. However, I tend to stay away from novels with thrilling type themes and the reason behind that is, I have an overactive imagination. I pick up on little details and they completely stick with me. This novel stuck with me throughout the night and into my dreams making for some hellacious nightmares.

So in a strange way I have to give kudos to A.M. Wilson and Alex Grayson for completely controlling my brain and setting into motion some pretty messed up dreams.

There is not much I can say about this novel without given major spoilers away. Every detail is specific and leads to a huge turn of events. So in this review I'll try my damnedest to make this as spoiler free as possible.

Let me start off with the story line.

Niko is a detective who has spent the last fifteen years searching for his best friend/ sweetheart. After getting nothing but dead ends he is told to give up but something in his bones tells him not to give up. When a heartbreaking discovery is planted in front of him he has no choice but to move on. A few weeks later he finds himself facing a very similar case that digs up old wounds. He is hell-bent on cracking this case though, no matter what the outcome may be.

This is honestly the darkest story line I have read in a very long time. This novel also happens to be extremely long, in a sense this was great due to the copious amounts of detail but on the other hand it was a little tedious. Pitch Dark has a mysterious 'who did it' vibe and at twenty percent I was beyond frustrated and wanted to freaking know 'WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON.'

This novel is told in two point of views.

Niko, who I described is a detective looking to crack a case that has gone cold many years ago. I felt Niko's frustrations, his emotions where strong but sometimes where an overkill. I would have liked to see more of his soft side and his heartbreak and less of his frustrations and agitation. Overall I really loved his character in this novel.

Then we have the mysterious Lelu chapters. These chapters are beyond gruesome. No details are left untouched. If you have a week stomach I highly suggest you skim through these chapters or skip them all together. There are also some major trigger warnings that come with these chapters. Be prepared they are gruesome. Obviously I can't tell you more about these chapters without giving the story line away.

My heart was ripped out while reading Pitch Dark. I couldn't believe the immediate darkness and extreme grit that came with the very beginning of this novel. I'm talking some Stephen King type shit!

Overall, I thought this was a kick ass novel. It was intriguing, kept my attention, and literally had me second guessing every move the characters made.

PEACE LOVE and HAPPY READING,
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Profile Image for Amy.
693 reviews
August 29, 2017
Pitch Dark
AM Wilson
5 stars

Pitch Dark - wow -- this is my first read by these two authors and just wow. Pitch Dark is a stand-alone dark read with all the good stuff in all the pages.

Doe is a survivor. Violent things are shown by the scars on her body. She doesn't know the past but and her soul is in tiny torn bits living inside her. The abuse -- the dark -- its the air she breathes as there is no light for her. She has no idea where she came from or who she is. She walks with no purpose.

Detective Niko James lost his childhood friend Aislin. She was taken -- he knows she didn't run away like claimed. This cant be the way it ends. All the years of searching and becoming who he is now to find her. The past is his demon. He could not save his best friend but he wont rest until the past is closed and in the midst of all of this he will never let another young girl down. With every last piece of him he will destroy those who hurt others.

Holy smokes the first chapter is a grabber. Don't plan on putting this one down once you being. Great read - excellent characters and a fabulous story. Be careful of triggers. I highly recommend. Thank you for the ARC! Review to post to Ramblings Beneath The Sheets.
Profile Image for Romance Readers Retreat.
2,346 reviews225 followers
September 13, 2017
4.5 Stars

When I first read the blurb for Pitch Dark I was instantly intrigued. Fifteen years ago, Niko's best friend and childhood sweetheart vanished. He was determined to find her and became a police detective to help with that mission. He is tireless in his determination to find Aislin. When a body is found matching her description his world is shaken. The signs of years of abuse and torture are obvious and now he vows to track down her kidnapper. When a Jane Doe is found walking the streets with signs of the same kind of abuse and no memory of who she is or what happens to her, Niko is drawn to her. If somehow she can remember he can find out her did this to her abs more importantly track down Aislin's killer.

This was a gripping suspense story with romantic elements (not sure I'd personally classify it as straight romance). My heart broke for what the characters endured and much of the story was a case study into how someone must try to overcome years of captivity and torture. I struggled at times with Niko's character. While I can understand his anger, it as almost too intense and extreme at times. Watching Niko abc Doe start to slowly heal each other was probably my favorite part of the story.
Profile Image for Jamie ♡♡ submits to books ♡♡.
462 reviews170 followers
October 1, 2017
☆☆☆☆☆ 5 "North" Stars ☆☆☆☆☆

This book was SOOOO GOOOOOD!!!

If you like darkness this book is for you!!
This book sucks you in from the start into the world of two best friends who's lives are tossed into complete terror and despair when one goes missing.

Amazing story with some very touchy abuse that leaves you cringing but grabs a hold of you to find out what the hell really happened!!
Profile Image for Misty.
611 reviews13 followers
September 5, 2017
I'm stuck between giving this book 3.5 stars and 5 stars so you get 4.

Let's discuss why the 3.5 stars first. I think this book at times was a bit all over the place and sometimes the events that happened a bit unbelievable. Like they only happened to keep the hero happy or maybe even the reader. I mean, don't get me wrong. He deserves to be happy. After his best friend is kidnapped and no one believes she would never run away his life course of a very angry cop is set. I had a pretty good suspicion about the twist and although I was happy for the hero and the girl I was also a bit disappointed. I wanted to believe certain things about him and just when I thought I could believe those things the rug was pulled out from under me.

But the authors get 5 stars for pulling some very strong emotions out of me. At times I had to turn my kindle off an walk away. I was disgusted, traumatized and downright heartbroken for the girls in this book. Their POV's were absolutely gut wrenching. Even when Doe is trying to get back to a normal life. My heart was in my stomach when reading their chapters.

All in all, a great story that will pull not only at your heartstrings but deep down something darker. Something that wants revenge for all those done wrong in life. This book brings to life a monster that just very well could be lurking in your neighborhood and that is downright terrifying to think about.
Profile Image for Beyond The Covers Blog.
2,518 reviews91 followers
September 15, 2017
Oh WOW!! Just speechless at the moment! Pitch Dark captivated me from the first page and sent me on a wild ride!!
Detective Niko James has been searching for his best friend for fifteen years for his best friend, Aislin, after she mysteriously disappeared. Everyone believed she ran away, but Niko knew in his heart she had been kidnapped.
When a dead woman's body was found in the woods, Niko's world came crashing down. He was forced to identify the body. Filled with years of guilt that he was unable to save Aislin.
After shots were fired at Niko's home from an intruder, he decided to unwind at Bar 9. There a drunk man confessed to killing a woman during sex and left her body in the woods. Could he be Aislin's killer?
This same night the police found a traumatized woman walking the streets. Jane Doe was malnourished, dehydrated, memory loss and had the markings of tortured woman.
After failing Aislin, Niko decides to help any woman who has experienced what Aislin went through. Niko is drawn to Doe and tries to gain her trust to find out who would savagely torture her. Is Aislin and Doe's case related?
Pitch Dark weaves a dark intricate web of mystery, murder, horror and abuse in this heart wrenching story. You will need your tissues. There are triggers.
A. M. Wilson is a new author to me but I am a great fan of Alex Grayson who never lets you down with her stories!. The duo has written a magnificent story that will keep you intrigued with so many twists you don't expect. The ending was Just Wow!
I would strongly recommend this book!
Profile Image for Linzi Grieve.
25 reviews10 followers
May 5, 2018
Holy smokes this book has left me utterly speechless but in the best way possible. I woke up at 5am and find pitch dark in my kindle and i read it in the one sitting. This book was very dark,heart breaking,disturbingly amazing!
Every single character was amazingly written,you could feel the emotion they were feeling. I cried,cursed allison and alex's name a few times,even shouted out loud like a crazy person
I Loved Niko James,His determination and dedication to finding his childhood bestfriend who went missing 15 years ago,Even getting a job that gave him the resources he need to continue looking for her,never giving up even when people told him to let it go. You felt the heartbreak and love he had for her.
I loved doe as well,she was found barefoot and injured,she obviously went through hell and back,even when she was absolutely terrified of her own shadow,you knew she was a little bent out of shape but this girl is far from broken.
The twists in this book were amazingly unexpected,kind of the point of twists but most of the time you have it half figured out before the twist happens,but these one's hit me out of no where like a car crash!
This book is definitely recommended,it sucked me right in from start to finish,Even my ultimate book boyfriend had a little scene in the book!
If i could give more than 5 stars I absolutely would,This book is definitely going on my book shelf in paperback,well done alex and allison,This book was absolutely incredible
Profile Image for Tiffany Readz.
2,020 reviews52 followers
August 30, 2017
Mixed Emotions With This One...

As a fan of the darker genre, Pitch Dark sounded like it was right up my alley. Lots going on with this story line, it's one of those books that you have to actually think about while reading, so you don't miss anything.

Two girls, one dead, one alive. One he has been searching for for fifteen years and one he had to go to the morgue to identify. If that isn't a lot going on for one guy, I don't know what is. Niko James is a detective, a good one, however not good enough to save the love of his young life.

We are instantly thrown into a who done it, cat and mouse chase for quite a while. Then the story morphs into tender moments with Niko taking care of this girl that brings all of those terrible feelings back for him, yet he can't seem to leave her alone.

As we head into the home stretch, things get absolutely nuts and may have turned me off a bit with the outrageous-ness of it all. Lots to digest and make sense of, no matter how much you really don't want it to be true.

The book is well written and I would say more psychological than dark. Mind games galore plague these characters up until the very end.

Reviewed for Renee Entress's Blog.
Profile Image for Hopelessly Addicted To Books .
3,622 reviews151 followers
September 15, 2017
Wow wow wow !!!!
I wish I could give more than 5 stars to this book because it really does deserve it.
The story starts with Detective Niko James getting a call he's been dreading. He's been searching for his childhood friend who mysteriously disappeared years ago it's the reason he became a police officer in the first place. As the blurb says 1 girl is found dead and another girl is found wandering the streets.
Doe is a fascinating young woman she has no memory of who she is, where she's been and how she got her injuries.
Reading the book was like watching a really good thriller it grabbed me and didn't let go. I became obsessed with every word every action every clue. The authors have created a story that at times made my skin crawl because 'he' is seriously creepy like off the charts creepy. So many twists and unexpected revelations that I never saw coming.
I'm always amazed that I can never see the 'join' in co-author books, the two authors have excelled with this dark and gritty read.




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