Deep into the Dark: A Mystery

· The Detective Margaret Nolan Series Book 1 · Minotaur Books
4.4
5 reviews
Ebook
352
Pages
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About this ebook

“Tracy seems to have found her literary sweet spot.” —Marilyn Stasio, The New York Times Book Review

New York Times
bestseller P. J. Tracy returns with Deep into the Dark, a brand new series set in LA and featuring up-and-coming LAPD Detective Margaret Nolan and murder suspect Sam Easton.


Sam Eastona true survivoris home from Afghanistan, trying to rebuild a life in his hometown of LA. Separated from his wife, bartending and therapy sessions are what occupy his days and nights. When friend and colleague Melody Traeger is beaten by her boyfriend, she turns to Sam for help. When the boyfriend turns up dead the next day, a hard case like Sam is the perfect suspect.

But LAPD Detective Margaret Nolan, whose brother recently died serving overseas, is sympathetic to Sam's troubles, and can't quite see him as a killer. She's more interested in the secrets Melody might be keeping and the developments in another murder case on the other side of town.

Set in an LA where real people live and work--not the superficial LA of Beverly Hills or the gritty underbelly of the city--Deep into the Dark features two really engaging, dynamic main characters and explores the nature of obsession, revenge, and grief.

P. J. Tracy is known for her "fast, fresh, and funny" characters (Harlan Coben) and her "sizzling" plots (People); the Monkeewrench series was her first, set in Minneapolis and co-written with her mother. Now with Deep into the Dark she's on her ownand it's a home run.

Ratings and reviews

4.4
5 reviews
Linda Strong
May 3, 2021
If you, as a reader, are expecting something similar to the Monkeewrench series, you will be surprised. This is the beginning of a new series, featuring Sam Easton, a former soldier suffering from post-traumatic-stress disorder. Sam is separated from his wife, seeing a therapist, and working as a bartender to keep the bills paid. Melody Traeger is a friend and colleague and turns to Sam for help when her boyfriend uses her as a punching bag. Unfortunately, the boyfriend is found dead the next day leaving Sam and Melody both prime suspects. LAPD Detective Margaret Nolan is called in to investigate. She just can't buy that Sam is a murderer ... but Melody seems to have secrets. While trying to pinpoint the crime here, there's also another murder committed on the other side of town. And just when Sam thinks things couldn't get any worse ... he develops a 'gift' of premonitions that reveal how people will die. PJ Tracy is the pseudonym of mother-daughter writing duo P.J. and Traci Lambrecht. Lambrecht PJ passed away in December 2016, but Traci continues to write as PJ Tracy. I was not sure what to expect without one of the writing partners, but I was not disappointed. Sam is a unique character. His Afghanistan experiences come across as credible ..and vulnerable. The arrival of his 'gift' is as much a surprise to him and it was to me. Other characters are solidly drawn and seem to thunder through the twists and turns that lead to a surprising conclusion. This is the first of a new series ... can't wait to see what follows. Many thanks to the author / Minotaur Books / St. Martin's Press / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction/psychological thriller. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
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Janice Tangen
January 12, 2021
law-enforcement, veterans, abuse, PTSD, murder-investigation, crime-fiction, thriller, murder**** This author is new to me but it's been a real thrill ride. Sam and Melody are damaged souls with histories that are guaranteed to give one PTSD but are paired and then entangled in a dark spiral of homicides with too many homicide detectives and ancillary characters to keep track of. Sometimes the complexity gets confusing, but it is worth the effort if it doesn't trigger the reader. I requested and received a free ebook copy from St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books via NetGalley.
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Patricia White
December 13, 2020
I’m a long time Monkeewrench fan so when I found out there was a new series coming I was super excited. Sam Easton is a Veteran with PSTD figuring out how to get his life back. But dreams like this one weren’t memories, they were ghoulish, torturous mosaics of guilt and fear, sorrow and regret. Melody Traeger was semi famous but started over for her own sanity. Sam and Melody are the main focus of this crazy crime thriller. A different direction for this author than past books Nothing wrong with that just a change. Not as much suspense as before but still a good adventure.
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About the author

P. J. Tracy is the pseudonym of Traci Lambrecht, bestselling and award winning author of the Monkeewrench series. Lambrecht and her mother, P. J., wrote eight novels together as P. J. Tracy before P. J. passed away in 2016. Lambrecht has since continued the Monkeewrench series solo. She spent most of her childhood painting and showing Arabian horses, and graduated with a Russian Studies major from St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota, where she also studied voice. She now lives outside Minneapolis.

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