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Daughter of Darkness
An emotionally unstable young woman may have killed a man during an evening she cannot remember, and a would-be horror writer determined to prove her innocence must challenge her most trusted friend, who is also her worst enemy, for the truth. Original.
- GenresHorror
336 pages, Mass Market Paperback
Published December 1, 1998
About the author
Ed Gorman
468 books122 followersLibrarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
Edward Joseph Gorman Jr. was a prolific American author and anthologist, widely recognized for his contributions to crime, mystery, western, and horror fiction. Born and raised in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Gorman spent much of his life in the Midwest, drawing on that experience to set many of his novels in small towns. After working over two decades in advertising, political speechwriting, and industrial filmmaking, he published his first novel, Rough Cut, in 1984 and soon transitioned to full-time writing. His fiction is often praised for its emotional depth, suspenseful storytelling, and nuanced characters. Gorman wrote under the pseudonyms Daniel Ransom and Robert David Chase, and contributed to publications such as Mystery Scene, Cemetery Dance, and Black Lizard. He co-founded Mystery Scene magazine and served as its editor and publisher until 2002, continuing his “Gormania” column thereafter. His works have been adapted for film and graphic novels, including The Poker Club and Cage of Night. In comics, he wrote for DC and Dark Horse. Diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2002, he continued writing despite his illness until his passing in 2016. Critics lauded him as one of the most original crime writers of his generation and a “poet of dark suspense.”
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
Edward Joseph Gorman Jr. was a prolific American author and anthologist, widely recognized for his contributions to crime, mystery, western, and horror fiction. Born and raised in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Gorman spent much of his life in the Midwest, drawing on that experience to set many of his novels in small towns. After working over two decades in advertising, political speechwriting, and industrial filmmaking, he published his first novel, Rough Cut, in 1984 and soon transitioned to full-time writing. His fiction is often praised for its emotional depth, suspenseful storytelling, and nuanced characters. Gorman wrote under the pseudonyms Daniel Ransom and Robert David Chase, and contributed to publications such as Mystery Scene, Cemetery Dance, and Black Lizard. He co-founded Mystery Scene magazine and served as its editor and publisher until 2002, continuing his “Gormania” column thereafter. His works have been adapted for film and graphic novels, including The Poker Club and Cage of Night. In comics, he wrote for DC and Dark Horse. Diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2002, he continued writing despite his illness until his passing in 2016. Critics lauded him as one of the most original crime writers of his generation and a “poet of dark suspense.”
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
March 25, 2013
This book had mixed reviews online and barely any at that, but it turned out to be so much fun. Gorman in general seems to be a reliable author. No particular depth, but a solid fast paced thriller with mystery elements, a bit far fetched and over the top, but well done and very enjoyable. The best way to describe Gorman's writing that I can think of is a hybrid of Koontz (if he was actually capable of succint writing without constant expounding and reinstating of his limited world views) and Laymon (with toned down sex, rape and without the horny teens). Gorman deserves more recognition. He's got pretty decent sense of humor too. Recommended.
October 15, 2019
This was still enjoyable but it wasn't one of Gorman's best, in my opinion. Similar in some ways to Night Chill by Dean Koontz, but not as tense.
March 14, 2025
An overall good read. Some elements of mystery, but mostly suspense.
Michael Coffey is a retired homicide detective now working as a cabbie in Chicago. On one of his frequent visits to Sister Mary Agnes’s shelter he meets a woman who isn’t sure who she is and who was found outside the shelter. This starts a bizarre sequency of events. Coffey becomes obsessed with the woman and is intent on helping her.
This book dives into some strange, but interesting topics. There’s a lot of psychology. There’s secret government sponsored experiments. And as always with Gorman, many interesting characters.
The middle of the book drags some, but the suspense heightens in the last quarter. And Gorman throws in a major surprise that I did not see coming at the end. Justice is served in several interesting ways.
Gorman’s writing style is engaging. There’s enough description to set the stage and the character, but not too much to overwhelm.
Michael Coffey is a retired homicide detective now working as a cabbie in Chicago. On one of his frequent visits to Sister Mary Agnes’s shelter he meets a woman who isn’t sure who she is and who was found outside the shelter. This starts a bizarre sequency of events. Coffey becomes obsessed with the woman and is intent on helping her.
This book dives into some strange, but interesting topics. There’s a lot of psychology. There’s secret government sponsored experiments. And as always with Gorman, many interesting characters.
The middle of the book drags some, but the suspense heightens in the last quarter. And Gorman throws in a major surprise that I did not see coming at the end. Justice is served in several interesting ways.
Gorman’s writing style is engaging. There’s enough description to set the stage and the character, but not too much to overwhelm.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews