Wednesday, September 12, 2018

The Darkest Time of Night by Jeremy Finley


The Darkest Time of Night

Title: The Darkest Time of Night
By: Jeremy Finley
Published: 2018
Call #: Fic Finley

When a senator's grandson goes missing from the woods behind the family home, a full-on investigation begins with thoughts of a politically motivated kidnapping.  The senator's wife, Lynn Roseworth, fears that this has nothing to do with her husband's career and everything to do with the woods themselves.

As a child, Lynn grew up being told never to go into the woods and on the one time she disobeyed that order, she saw things she couldn't quite explain.  Decades later, when her grandson goes missing, the only clue they're given is the eerie message: "the lights took him."  Investigators seem to think that this refers to headlights, but Lynn recalls hearing that phrase in connection to alien abduction cases.  Fearing what others would say if Lynn suggested it was aliens, she begins her own investigation and uncovers a conspiracy far more serious than she ever could have imagined.

This novel is a seamless blend of modern day mystery, family drama, and science fiction.  While readers might scoff at the suggestion of alien abductions, this novel makes it work in a way that it could be entirely plausible.  There are just enough hints at the end that make it look as if a sequel is in the works, but there is enough closure in terms of plot/character development that the book could stay as a standalone work.  The thought of aliens should not deter readers from picking up this novel--the story reads more like a captivating mystery with just a hint of the X-Files thrown in for good measure.

Mary -Megan K.
Popular Materials Asst.