Truth is in the Darkness

I loved having this chance to come back to Paynes Creek, but I don’t quite know what to say about this book. I had a bit of a rough start with it because I have no patience for characters who blithely throw themselves into danger. Especially ones with no formal training who decide they know better than the professionals. This put me at odds with Lily for a lot of the book. She’s an amazingly well-written character to push so hard on my buttons. She’s complex and nuanced, independent yet vulnerable. Even with all his secrets and baggage, Cooper felt positively straightforward in comparison. And I adored him pretty much from the word “go”. I’m going to blame my ultra-suspicious nature for not being terribly surprised by the identities of the villains in this book. Though, there are some lovely twists and turns that caught me by surprise. I may have just finished reading this book, but already I’m looking forward to coming back to Paynes Creek. I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author.

Truth is in the Darkness by Heather Sunseri is the second novel in the Paynes Creek series. Lily Thomas had just learned she was accepted to art school in New York and she has a special evening with her boyfriend, Cooper Adams. After stopping for gas, Lily is kidnapped. She is lucky to escape, but the crime is not solved. She departs for art school and does not return to her hometown for twelve years. Lily arrives at her grandmothers to find a bloody warning. Things begin spiraling out of control with further threats. Lily and Cooper set out to solve her kidnapping and put a stop the torment once and for all. I thought Truth is in the Darkness was well-written and engaging. I was immediately drawn into the story. The story is told from Lily and Cooper’s point-of-view. I like that we get to see what each of them is thinking. Lily is a complex character. She is strong, determined, and artistic. But the past has affected her giving her a vulnerability. Cooper is more straightforward with a good heart. What happened to Lily affected him as well and he wants to prevent similar crimes from happening to others. Truth is in the Darkness can be read as a standalone if you have not yet read Death is in the Details. Truth is in the Darkness has an intricate crime. You need to pay close attention to each detail as they all work together to form the whole story. I enjoyed the mystery and how it all came together. It is shocking what people will do and how they justify their crimes. I liked this whodunit, but I wish it had been harder to identify the guilty parties (my mother said I have read too many mysteries). Truth is in the Darkness also has family, friendships, careers and romance. We get to know the characters—what they are thinking and feeling. There is, unfortunately, foul language in the story and intimate relations (it is not graphic). Truth is in the Darkness is a gripping tale with complex characters, a mesmerizing mystery, and a warm romance.

I looooved this book! I love Heather Sunseri, and always read her new releases because they never disappoint. That held true with this book. There were so many twists and turns - every time I thought I’d figured it out, something happened that threw me off. I also love that Heather tied in Luke from “Death is in the Details.” - it’s like you’re a part of their little world of Payne’s Creek when you start reading this series.