The Dark Room - Jonathan Moore

It was the cover of Jonathan Moore's new book, The Dark Room, that initially caught my eye. (Yep, dark and ominous appeals to me.....) I was unaware of Moore as an author before this book, but after reading The Dark Room, I've added him to my list of 'must be read' authors.

Gavin Cain is an San Francisco PD detective. He's attending an exhumation that he hopes will clear one of his cases when he is abruptly pulled away. The mayor need the best detective SFPD has. Why? Well, someone has sent him pictures. Pictures of a woman in - well, let's just say, in danger. The mayor claims not to know why the pics have been sent to him or who the woman is. He just wants the sender found and punished.

Well, Cain will take the case, but he'll solve it on his terms, not the Mayor's. Cain is such a great character - sharp, smart, following his own intuition, somewhat grumpy but determined.  But Moore adds a bit more to Cain - his personal life is just as intriguing. His girlfriend is a former crime victim and agoraphobic. An unusual and appealing storyline. Moore gives us a good supporting cast as well - but I was a bit shocked (and disappointed) at the turn things took for one of those characters.

Moore's plotting is fantastic, intricate and detailed. The reader is along for the ride as Cain investigates. I like having no 'insider' knowledge in a police procedural. It's fun to take the pieces given and see if I can figure things out before the final pages. Did I? No, but I sure enjoyed trying.

Those who enjoy a good - really good - police procedural will want to pick up The Dark Room. Read an excerpt of The Dark Room.

Moore's first book, The Poison Artist, looks just as good.
“An electrifying read . . . I haven’t read anything so terrifying since Red Dragon.” — Stephen King
“Magnificent, thoroughly unnerving . . . I dare you to look away.” — Justin Cronin