Title: Dark Objects

Author: Simon Toyne

Genre: Crime/Psychological Thriller

Publisher: Harper Collins

Publication Date: 7th July 2022

Rating: 5/5

Cover:

Summary:

An Impossible Crime Scene
A wealthy woman is found brutally murdered in the locked fortress of her London mansion. Surrounding her are four mysterious objects, including a book on forensics by Dr Laughton Rees.

An Inescapable Past
As a teenager, Laughton’s life was destroyed after witnessing her mother’s brutal murder. Now a mother herself and forensic analyst, she is an expert on how to read crime scenes – but never works live cases.

An Uncatchable Killer
Pressured by the lead detective to help with the investigation, Laughton begins to realise that the objects left by the body are not just about the victim, they’re also about her. Her childhood was destroyed by one killer. Now she must catch another before her daughter’s is destroyed too.

Review:

I’ve been reading some really brilliant thrillers lately and I have to say, Dark Objects is up there with the best. The story follows Dr Laughton Rees, a forensic analyst with a traumatic past who refuses to work live cases. However, when her book is found at a complex and violent murder scene she is pulled into the investigation which soon becomes deadly.

I was totally hooked by Dark Objects right from the off. The premise is tantalisingly original and darkly compelling. The characters, particularly Laughton and also the lead detective on the case, Tannahill Khan, are immensely easy to root for but still flawed and human enough to be relatable. The investigation is satisfyingly complex with enough genuinely surprising twists to keep any reader happily on the back foot. I also found Dark Objects to be rather emotional, it actually had me in tears at one point, which is rare, especially for a thriller. There is a very real and quite tragic heart to this novel which makes it a truly affecting read. I’m very much hoping this will be the start of a new series because I would love to read more about these characters from this super talented author. A smart, sophisticated and surprisingly moving thriller that I highly recommend.

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Thank you so much to Tracy Fenton and 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.

Buy the book:

Waterstones | Blackwell’s | Amazon