When Darkness Calls by Mark Griffin #Review @themarkgriffin @LittleBrownUK

Today I’m sharing my review for When Darkness Comes, the debut crime thriller from Mark Griffin, if you are a fan of dark and gruesome crime thrillers then this one’s definitely for you.

***The first book in a bestselling new serial killer series***

Holly Wakefield works for the NHS as a criminal psychologist specialising in serial killers. She has particular reason to be good at her job – but she keeps that to herself.

When DI Bishop from the Met Police approaches Holly to investigate a recent killing, Holly is horrified by the dismembered bodies and the way they have been theatrically positioned. More shocking still is when the pathologist reveals this is not the first time she has seen these mutilations. It means a serial killer is out there, and they’re going to kill again – soon.

Holly is used to chasing serial killers. But this killer has something in common with Holly that she’s kept hidden for as long as she can remember. And for the first time since she was a child, Holly is forced to face the darkness of her past…

The first thriller in a gritty and gripping new crime series starring forensic psychologist Holly Wakefield. For fans of Patricia Cornwell, Val McDermid, Robert Galbraith and the TV’s Luther and Line of Duty.

When Darkness Calls by Mark Griffin opens with a tantalising first chapter, definitely a promising start for a new crime series by Mark Griffin featuring forensic psychologist Holly Wakefield. I’m a huge fan of crime thriller series (in case you hadn’t already guessed) something guaranteed to make me pick up a book is one that  features a serial killer add in a forensic psychologist in the shape of Holly Wakefield (forensic psychology is another subject that fascinates me) and it was a book I just had to read.  When Darkness Calls is definitely one for those who enjoy a crime thriller that’s veers to the dark and gruesome, it’s compelling with many a nail biting scene to keep the most hardened crime thriller riveted.  

Holly Wakefield, is a criminal psychologist who specialises in the study of psychopaths and serial killers, some of whom she works with at a London psychiatric hospital. Holly is given the chance to work as a profiler with Detective Inspector Bishop and his murder squad. Their investigation begins with the discovery of an elderly couple murdered in their country home and it leads them to discover a trail of deaths stretching back more than 20 years. Holly is a refreshing protagonist for a crime thriller, she’s a walking, talking sickopedia, of serial killers and their macabre crimes, it’s clear she is committed to her job, she’s driven, and she’s quirky, but beneath the veneer are some very dark secrets that Holly would prefer to keep hidden. 

One of the things that makes this book such a compelling read is the author’s clever ploy of using Holly’s unhealthy obsession with serial killers as part of the plot  she relates details of infamous killers, their motives and their methods to the ongoing investigation which I found fascinating, this give the reader an insight into the unknown serial killer, as well as making this crime thriller all the more disturbing. The investigation takes a very dark and seriously twisted route, as Holly and Bishop chase a serial killer who is one sick individual, a master of control, manipulation and domination.  

There aren’t many books that make me grimace, some of the crime scenes and autopsies are graphic and pretty gory to say the least, but in the author’s defence they never feel unwarranted. When Darkness Calls is perfectly paced, it’s a dark tale (definitely my kind of read), with compelling characters, there’s a palatable sense of terror that permeates each page of this well thought out crime thriller. Did I mention this is the author’s debut novel? Well it is and what a fabulous start to this author’s writing career, in my opinion Mark Griffin is a new and exciting voice in the crime thriller genre and I will definitely read the next book in the series without hesitation. Highly recommended by me.

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Piatkus (1 Nov. 2018)

Buying links:  Amazon UK 🇬🇧   Amazon US 🇺🇸