Title: Darke Matter

Author: Rick Gekoski

Genre: Fiction

Publisher: Constable

Publication Date: 14th May 2020

Rating: 4/5

Cover:

Summary:

James Darke is dreading the first family Christmas without his wife Suzy. Engulfed by grief, his grudging preparations are interrupted by a persistent knock at the door. Questions about the circumstances of his wife’s death force him to confront the outside world and what really happened to her.

Isolated, angry and diminished, James soon faces a crisis both legal and psychological. It will test his resolve and threaten his freedom. 

Darke Matter is a brilliant, mordant examination of the nature and obligations of love. Both immensely sad and extremely funny, the story wrestles with one of the great moral issues of our time.

The surprising sequel to Darke . . .

Review:

I actually didn’t realise that Darke Matter was a sequel when I signed up to the tour but I think it works as a standalone pretty well as far as I can tell. The story follows James Darke, whose wife Suzy has recently died. He is an angry and complicated man and things are made more difficult for him by the questions arising around the circumstances of his wife’s death.

Firstly I have to say that Darke Matter is particularly well written. The prose is intelligent and profoundly compelling. James Darke is a complex man who is caught up in his rage and grief. He is not always likeable but he is the sort of character that is incredibly interesting to follow. The book covers some very weighty topics like grief, assisted suicide and the limits of morality. Despite this, it is also often darkly humorous which I really enjoyed. Darke Matter is not an action-packed read, rather an intense and skilled character study of a man struggling with loss which I’d definitely recommend if you enjoy that kind of book!

Thank you so much to Anne Cater of Random Things Blog Tours for inviting me on this tour and organising it. I kindly received a copy of the book from the publisher. My review is entirely my own honest opinion.