Darkness on the Edge of Town is a pretty good effort for a first novel, but it's little more than that. Cole's central character Vinnie is a 40 year old living in the hills above a small town. One night, Vinnie encounters Rachel, a young woman after an accident in which her baby has died. Vinnie's protective instincts kick in, which leads him into a host of trouble with his teenage step-daughter, his current flame and the townsfolk.

Cole seems to be trying to write a disturbing psychological thriller but can't carry it off. The book has more accounts of leaking breasts than anyone could want to read, making one suspect that Cole may have had some life-changing issues in that area herself. The chemistry between Vinnie and Rachel is not really believable given their age difference, and some of Cole's plot developments and resolutions are just a bit too pat. I was disappointed in the ending, which I thought was a bit forced and silly.… (more)

Flagged

gjky | 4 other reviews | Apr 9, 2023 |

Deeper water by Jessie Cole

I really wanted to like this, and the writing and atmosphere are solid, but the whole sexual awakening of the naive Mena didn't really work for me. Mena was a frustrating character - implausibly innocent and clueless about the world - so having the story come from her perspective left me struggling to engage.

Flagged

mjlivi | 4 other reviews | Feb 2, 2016 |

Darkness on the edge of town by Jessie Cole

A solid Australian novel about the appearance of a young woman in a small town and the subtle (and not so subtle) shockwaves that reverberate through the town. Nicely written and tightly plotted, but not hugely surprising.

Flagged

mjlivi | 4 other reviews | Feb 2, 2016 |

Deep Water by Jessie Cole

Great read 2015

Flagged

suek | 4 other reviews | May 22, 2015 |

See More Reviews