I grew up in one of the only towns with a drive-in movie theater. Skyview–which is still active (and killing it!)– featured two screens, so you had to pick which of the double features you preferred. This meant that because my parents chose the screen featuring Roger Rabbit over the one with Beetlejuice, one of my earliest memories is perching on a concrete block while watching the infamous scene of the new house inhabitants being possessed into singing Day-O. The concession stand was straight out of the 1950s, and the playground in front of the bigger screen had metal slides that would burn the backs of your legs off. Aww, memories.
In honor of Skyview and my introduction to Tim Burton, I’m changing it up this time and featuring two books as a double feature. Here’s the theme: can these two series books stand alone, or is it better (or necessary) to read the predecessor book(s) first? For purposes of reaching this conclusion, I not only did not read the predecessor books, but I did not read the book summaries.
Alright. Let’s get down to brass tacks.
What Lies in Darkness (Christina McDonald)
First is What Lies in Darkness by Christina McDonald, which is beautifully written, extremely twisty, and with just a touch of the supernatural. This book is special and you absolutely don’t need to read the predecessors in the series (although after reading this one, you’ll want to).
Me, I’m not a huge supernatural fan, but I found myself remembering how much I loved The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James the first time I read it and comparing the two efforts. What Lies in Darkness has the same kind of elements going for it–shifting time frames with alternating points of view, a small-town setting, and ghosts which are not a dominant feature of the storyline. If you liked Sun Down, you will be all about What Lies in Darkness.
Set in fictional Black Lake, Maryland, the story picks up one year after the Harper family’s car crashed out in the middle of nowhere, three of the four family members disappearing and the fourth–sensitive, teenage Alice–found wandering in the general vicinity. Alice is still dealing with the trauma, which rears its head when her sister’s blood-stained backpack is found in an abandoned house in the area. The story then alternates among three characters: Alice; Jess, a police officer who lost her daughter in an accident for which she blames herself; and Laura, Alice’s mother. Laura’s story is told up through the date of the accident and provides insight (and revelation) into what really happened.
In addition to the writing being strong (I flagged a few passages as exceptional, as I always appreciate the lyricism of good prose), this book is masterful in its navigation of different viewpoints and points of time. Also, while I’ve seen a lot of hype lately about “read this twisty thriller!,” which gets confusing given the bloated selection, this one should go on the list. McDonald leaves plenty of Easter eggs along the way so the payoff is extremely satisfying.
The only criticisms I have of this book are minor and based on personal preference. The very last twist was a bit too much for me. And as a mother, I found certain elements hard to read. (I had the same trouble with A.J. Finn’s The Woman in the Window, which I otherwise loved.). But that’s the kind of nitpicking I find myself doing when I finish a great book.
What Lies in Darkness is unfortunately not available until July 16, but put this one on your TBR list! And while you wait, there’s the predecessor novel and novella to check out.
Amazon–What Lies in Darkness
Barnes and Noble–What Lies in Darkness
Honor the Dead by Amy Tector
Next we have Honor the Dead by Amy Tector, which is the third in the Dominion Archives series featuring coroner Cate Spencer. There, our protagonist–shrewd, emotionally stifled, borderline alcoholic Cate–finds herself working as the medical examiner for a private school in Canada while awaiting her professional fate. Cate has recently been suspended from her position as a coroner due to her emotional instability.
Then a handsome man is found shot through the eye at a neighboring farm, a metal detector dropped near the body. As it turns out, the McGregor Farm where he was trespassing is allegedly the site of buried gold, and perhaps the victim was getting too close to discovering the loot.
Restless Cate quickly embroils herself in the investigation, reasoning that if she proves useful to law enforcement, this will carry weight in her reinstatement to her former position. She’s put in touch with the delightful Kevin, who doubles as not only the area’s coroner but also the “Egg Man.” As in, he’s super into eggs and his business of selling them, often speaking in chicken references like “I wouldn’t want to ruffle any feathers.” It’s a cute element, as is Cate’s interaction with the various townsfolk (including a cheeky, closeted 90-year-old lesbian–I would have liked to have seen more of her). There are many characters to keep track of, but they’re well-drawn and it’s not a terribly complicated task to do so.
There’s some forgiveness of plot that has to be done for this one. A suspended coroner is the brainiest and most-hardworking of those on the case, and the official investigators allow her to be as free range in questioning key witnesses as Kevin’s chickens. (Get it??). But such is the nature of amateur sleuth novels like this one, which is charming and will be enjoyed by those who like cozy mysteries. And, while you don’t need to read the prior books to get the most out of this one, if this sounds up your alley, there are three in the series featuring our heroine Cate.
Amazon–Honor the Dead
Barnes and Noble–Honor the Dead
Feel free to sound off! What series books stand alone? And which don’t?
*Sarah Reida is a writer of dark comedy thrillers. Her Kirkus-starred adult debut, Neighborhood Watch, is Desperate Housewives, only stabbier. If you’re interested in reading a locked room thriller (i.e., a neighborhood) about terrible people getting murdered, click here. And join Sarah’s elite group of Instagram followers here.
