A Dark Lure

Dang. How'd I sleep on this one for so long? Well, I know that answer - my eyes have been acting up again - but, thank goodness for accompanying audio. I NEED to read more books by this author ASAP. The tension is perfect, the story engaging, and it's the kind of book where you kinda-sorta-but not really have got it all figured out before finishing because you're thinking so hard about it as you read, only to still have things take you by surprise by the end.

First let me issue a warning. Don't make my mistake. My idea, to just have a short look and read a couple of chapters before bedtime, didn't work out at all. Once I started, I couldn't stop reading. The book isn't an one-chapter-before-you-go-to-bed but rather an it-kept-me-hooked-all-night read, because it has all the right ingredients.

For a good romantic thriller take

- Eugene, the Watt Lake Killer, who captures his victims and sexually assaults and tortures them for month over the winter, then sets them out for a hunt in the spring, because the hunt is his real passion and he always makes sure, the prey knows he's following their tracks, as it's not a game until both sides know they're playing.
"You don't stop tracking until you've show more bagged the game you've hurt. You make it yours."

- The one that got away, Sarah Baker who now lives under the name of Olivia West. She was set free in the spring and escaped the killer, because he underestimated her skills to survive in the wild

- The cop involved with the case, who never believed they got the right guy and is sure, the killer is still out there. He is determined to close the case, but his time is running out.

- Cole McDonough, writer, adventurer, ranch heir, and the one, who could save Sarah/Olivia in more ways than one.

- And a beautiful remote wilderness location, cut off even more from the outside world through heavy winter weather.

Mix well and add a few more interesting characters and sub-plots for extra spice.

The result has you going for a second helping and another one and one more after that, all the way until you get to the bottom of it all.
Thrilling, chilling and an attractive adventurer for the romantic part. Loved it. show less

“Survival is a journey. It is the quest that underlies all stories. No matter the geography, or culture, or era, in one form or another, the story of survival is the same story we listen to, riveted, around the flames of the hunter’s fire. Or hear from the mouth of the astronaut returned from a burning spaceship, or from the woman who trumped cancer. We listen in the hopes of learning what magic they used to conquer a great beast, to deliver a decisive victory, to make it alone down the peaks of Everest alive . . .”



Wow, what a ride! This was probably the most suspenseful novel I’ve read this year so far.

Basically, it’s a story about survival: Olivia West, sole survivor of the “Watt Lake Killer” who died in prison, works show more anonymously on Broken Bar Ranch as its manager when a body is discovered. The victim’s remains have been put on display in the same way the dead killer used to do and weird things – coincidences? – begin to happen on Broken Bar Ranch.

A cop who worked on the side-lines of the original Watt Lake case – now dying from cancer – never believed the real killer had been apprehended and, thus, he’s out with his young daughter, Tori, to catch the right guy this time...



It’s hard to find fault with a book that’s as engaging and exciting as this one. Of course, it’s not high literature but it’s nearly perfect for what it is. At times, it shows that before this book, White wrote “romantic suspense” books for about ten years, e. g. when our heroine, Olivia, gets all excited reading:



“She was turned on by the masculine beauty of his prose, the clean, muscular sentences that bespoke a latent empathy in the author.”



Uhm... Right. This does read a bit weird to me but it’s easy to overlook because at no point does this book get boring: Frequent switches of perspectives and places take place but I always knew exactly what was going on which is a big plus for me. The backstory of the Watt Lake killer is told by means of a book written by Tori’s late mother and makes for chilling interludes.

Just like Tori...

“Tori’s vision was blurring, and she could hear her father’s deep, rhythmic snores coming from the other room. But she was unable to put her e-reader down.”

… this book kept me glued to my Kindle.



Highly recommended to anyone who likes to read a good thriller!



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I read this book in one sitting...I just couldn't stop. This is the second book I've read by White, and I know that I'm going to have to find all her books.

I fell in love with Olivia from the beginning. Her strength, determination...she's a wonderful character. The book is about the survivor of a serial killer, the life she is fighting to build, and the connections she doesn't realize she has. The book has a very fast pace, one that keeps you moving from one chapter to the next. There are some slow parts, but they are spaced out enough, that it doesn't take away from the story.
As a warning, there are graphic, disturbing scenes, mostly as flash backs. It is about a serial killer after all, and White has a way with words that makes show more you feel like you are hearing the accounts first hand.
If you are in to crime novels and don't mind a little horror, this book is definitely for you! show less

There is a good reason you don't see "Romance" listed among my "Favorite Books," in my profile, and this one is exhibit A as for why not. It had the most ridiculously implausible "romance," and the underlying mystery/suspense story was poorly executed, with obvious red herrings and silly plot contrivances, including (gasp!) a heretofore unknown twin of the killer, who was wrongly convicted of the previous crimes.

I did rather enjoy the writing in the fly-fishing scenes, and, for the most part, the quality of the prose was very good throughout the story, especially in establishing setting. However, it was all wrapped around a lot of hackneyed characterization and weak plotting.

This is an intense, emotional read. The author tugs at our heartstrings, fills us with despair, and teases us with hope and possibilities.

The setting is masterfully handled. I could feel the cold, see the ranch and the surrounding wilderness, and hear the wind whistling through the branches.

The characters are well developed with lots of depth. I had a good sense of who they were and what motivated their behavior. Their relationships felt real, the dialogue natural. The killer felt a little too flat and stereotypical, but not so much that I was overly bothered, perhaps because his part is quite small overall.

The plot, however, was predictable for me. I knew almost from the start how the story would play out. The twists weren't the least show more surprising. Still, while I knew where it all was leading, I enjoyed getting there. I did have some problems with certain aspects of the plot, most having to do with the cop's involvement. I didn't totally buy into the reasoning for his poor choices. This sullied the story a bit for me.

More than suspense, I think this story centers on relationships, recovery, love, loss, and healing. There is some graphic violence, though these scenes are short, with the intent to show us the character's emotional strength and fight for survival. The focus is also largely on the budding romance, with Sarah's inner struggle as she fights the love she feels.

There is no doubt that White is a talented writer. She drew me right into her world and held my interest throughout. At times, though, the writing has almost a forced literary feel. Comparisons between the building storm and characters' emotions were overdone. Leaves and reeds were constantly 'whispering'. This became distracting by the midway point.

Finally, I have to mention the books within the book aspect. We have two characters who are writers, and segments of their books are shared within the narrative. The problem for me is the voices are all exactly the same. The passages from both author-characters read like the narrative voice of the actual author, complete with the literary style and word choices. I needed some stylistic changes to offset the characters' writing styles as different from the author's. Also, when other characters compliment the beauty of the author-character's prose, because the styles are exactly alike, it feels too much like the author is complimenting herself.

Despite my grumblings, this is a compelling story that is sure to capture the romantics out there show less

***Review Copy***

This book could have been better if the romance aspect had been left out. Otherwise it was a fairly good thriller with flawed characters which you can empathize with.