Cut in Darkness

Cut in Darkness by Heather Sunseri is the second book in the In Darkness series. It is the weekend of the fourth of July and Midland, Kentucky is gearing up for their parade. Unfortunately, Special Agent Brooke Fairfax is going to miss it. She has been called in to the local hospital by Special Agent Erica Marshall. There have been an unusually large number of overdoses occurring in the area among the homeless and women of ill repute. There seems to be a new designer drug in town that someone is testing on what they must consider the “disposable” populace. But then Senator Westbrook’s daughter, Angela dies of an overdose. FBI Director Jack Waller (Brooke’s father) puts Brooke in charge on the Westbrook case. This leads her into the world of OMGs (outlaw motorcycle gangs) which she has been researching for the last few weeks since starting back to work at the FBI. It seems that Samael’s Army may be behind the new drug, but Brooke needs irrefutable proof to put the leaders away. The FBI needs information about this new drug, and they turn to Declan O’Roark (did I mention he is Brooke’s boyfriend) for answers. Declan’s lab will be able to quickly analyze the drug and provide Brooke with the necessary results (state lab is backed up). Brooke investigation turns dangerous when her stalker, Romeo reveals her identity to Gray Packstone, son of Samael’s leader. Samael’s Army is out to eliminate her, and Declan will do what it takes to keep Brooke safe. Samael’s Army will not go down without a fight and neither will Brooke. I found Cut in Darkness to be well-written, have a good pace, and a complex mystery. Brooke Fairfax is starting to grow on me. I had trouble liking her in the first book, but Brooke gets better over time (like a fine wine). The drug situation in the book is complex and readers are given many details about illegal drugs and motorcycle gangs (OMGs). I did feel, though, that the romance portion of the book was extremely prevalent. I wish the author would tone it down a notch (bedroom scenes). While Cut in Darkness is the second book in the series, it can be read alone. The author gives the reader all the information needed to read and enjoy Cut in Darkness. I give Cut in Darkness 4 out of 5 stars. I am glad to see Brooke start to overcome her past towards the end of the book. The story is told from Brooke’s and Declan’s point-of-views. Personally, I would have preferred if it had been told from the third person for consistency (instead of wondering is this Brooke or Declan). I am wondering, though, how Brooke makes a good agent when people can tell when she is lying or uncomfortable (especially around a person she does not like). It just seemed a little off to me. At the end of the book, readers are left with two unanswered questions (identity of Romeo and the identity of the police informant). I hope that the stalker storyline picks up the pace in the next book in the series. It would be nice to know his identity or motive. It will be interesting to see what happens next with Brooke as she starts a new job and the relationship between Declan and Brooke deepens.

My mind is still spinning, this book is so good. It's part of a series but only in that it has the same main characters. It can be read as a stand-alone without losing any of the story. Once I started reading it, I wasn't putting the book down. The story's compelling and complex with characters that are all too human. The heroes aren't perfect and the villains occasionally do good works. Which makes this book that much more frightening. What's happening in this book is going on in our world right now. I adore Brooke and Declan. She's the right combination of sassy and tough while being sweet and vulnerable. It's easy for me to connect with her. Declan's her perfect partner: a full-blooded alpha that wants to take care of her. And he has a whole lot more useful skills than the average civilian. I'm really looking forward to seeing what trouble Brooke and Declan get into next. I received a complimentary advanced copy of this book.