Carved in Darkness (A Sabrina Vaughn Novel)

Having read this on Kindle, I failed to notice the author's name and so my biggest surprise when finishing was to discover the author is female. This bold, eerily gripping novel ramrods itself down your throat 'til you choke. It answers questions for me personally regarding how far you can take your reader when it comes to violence and torture, apparently, pretty far. I was unable at times to take the bloody, sordid depravity of the gruesome torture and had to glance away; however, it kept pulling me back in. Beaumont knows how to keep you on the edge of your seat.
Melissa was kidnapped at fifteen, tortured, and raped repeatedly for 83 days. Her kidnapper dropped her body off at a local church. Fifteen years later, after a miraculous show more recovery allowed her to restart her life, she emerges under an assumed identity, her twin siblings in tow, totally separated from her past life, other than an occasional communication with her grandmother, until Michael shows up.
Michael's sister endured the same torture and he wants help in bringing the killer to justice. As you might imagine, Sabrina, as she is know known, is not excited by the idea of being bait, but her training as a police officer, and her understanding that it was just not her and Michael's sister, but a girl every year that has been afforded the same fate. Not just that, but he just brutally murdered Grandma too.
When she comes to the realization that she can no longer allow this to continue, she and Michael head home, to that little blink-and-you'll-miss-it town where one of the local yokel good-old-boys has been torturing and killing young girls for over a decade. Will they figure out which of the inhabitants of this small town is the enemy before he takes her again?
Buckle up for the ride of a lifetime, this one is the roughest rollercoaster you ever had to endure. show less

Having read this on Kindle, I failed to notice the author's name and so my biggest surprise when finishing was to discover the author is female. This bold, eerily gripping novel ramrods itself down your throat 'til you choke. It answers questions for me personally regarding how far you can take your reader when it comes to violence and torture, apparently, pretty far. I was unable at times to take the bloody, sordid depravity of the gruesome torture and had to glance away; however, it kept pulling me back in. Beaumont knows how to keep you on the edge of your seat.
Melissa was kidnapped at fifteen, tortured, and raped repeatedly for 83 days. Her kidnapper dropped her body off at a local church. Fifteen years later, after a miraculous show more recovery allowed her to restart her life, she emerges under an assumed identity, her twin siblings in tow, totally separated from her past life, other than an occasional communication with her grandmother, until Michael shows up.
Michael's sister endured the same torture and he wants help in bringing the killer to justice. As you might imagine, Sabrina, as she is know known, is not excited by the idea of being bait, but her training as a police officer, and her understanding that it was just not her and Michael's sister, but a girl every year that has been afforded the same fate. Not just that, but he just brutally murdered Grandma too.
When she comes to the realization that she can no longer allow this to continue, she and Michael head home, to that little blink-and-you'll-miss-it town where one of the local yokel good-old-boys has been torturing and killing young girls for over a decade. Will they figure out which of the inhabitants of this small town is the enemy before he takes her again?
Buckle up for the ride of a lifetime, this one is the roughest rollercoaster you ever had to endure. show less

This book originally came to my attention through a Webinar that the publisher participated in. I purchased it for our library, several patrons read it and loved it so I thought I would give it a try. This is a solid thriller, obviously set up to be the first in a series, with a lot of good misdirection so that you don't figure out whodunit until the author makes the reveal. Again I have to quibble about the typos in this book like I have in other books from smaller publishers. Seriously, if they need a proofreader, drop me an email and I will be happy to help out. Overall really good character development, nice build up of tension and if the subsequent books are as good as this one, this will be a popular series.

By: Maegan Beaumont
Published By: Midnight Ink
Age Recommended: Adult
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: 5
Book Blog For: GMTA
Review:

"Carved in Darkness" by Maegan Beaumont was some mystery, thriller/suspense read that was simply some good read. We find that Melissa Walker for 83 days of rape and torture has been taken by a psychotic killer. She was just seventeen year old. She is left for dead but is alive. The person that did this to Melissa was never found and she was not able to identify him because he had her eyes sewn shut. As times goes on we find that Melissa Walker has began a new life with a new name trying to forget the past. Melissa is now Sabrina a police officer who is carrying around a big secret. "She's Melissa and no-one knows show more she survived apart from her Gran, her room-mate Val and her younger brother and sister." However, when the person who did this to Melissa/Sabrina finds out she is alive we find out from the read that he will do anything to get her back. Now, this is when I say you must pick up the excellent read to find out what all this author has in store for the readers. There will be a lots of twist and turns in this novel that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The characters are all so well developed and very intriguing along with being so very captivating. Sabrina is really one heroine that you don't want to mess with. She may have been damaged but she is also 'strong and smart.'

If you are looking for a well written mystery, suspense and thriller you have come to the right place for "Carved in Darkness" will give it all to you. Would I recommend? YES! show less

Excellent thriller by a fine writer. Taut pacing, tight writing, and great characters. This is a book that will keep you enthralled until the end.

Just read it, you owe yourself. It's an intriguing beginning to the Sarah Vaughn series. You're welcome.