What a fun mystery. And I definitely didn’t see the ending coming (but I usually don’t… so take that for what it’s worth). I actually read this a couple years ago and I was still fully engaged in this read the second time around.

Maeve is trying to have it all- a successful career, marriage and motherhood. And they are all struggling. When she is assigned a pro bono case, her past comes back to haunt her and she must take care of those demons, as well as the train wreck that her marriage has become. Overall a good read and kept me guessing!

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

"Darkness Drops Again" by Melissa E. Manning is a gripping legal thriller that delves into the intricacies of a woman's seemingly perfect life unraveling at the seams. Maeve Shaw, a successful attorney, has carefully constructed a life that appears flawless on the surface. Her marriage to Patrick, a senior manager, seems idyllic, and they have two wonderful children. Maeve's dreams of making partner at her law firm also seem within reach. However, everything begins to crumble when she uncovers unsettling truths about her marriage and a new case at work forces her to confront dark memories from her past.

As Maeve fights to salvage her marriage and protect her hidden childhood secrets, she finds herself teetering on the edge of vulnerability. The delicate balancing act she attempts puts everything she has worked for at risk, and she grapples with the looming darkness that threatens to consume her once again.

Melissa E. Manning skillfully weaves together suspense, emotion, and legal intricacies, making "Darkness Drops Again" a compelling page-turner. Fans of authors like Liane Moriarty and Celeste Ng will be drawn into the enthralling narrative, captivated by the twists and turns that keep them guessing until the very end. Manning's exploration of the complexities of relationships, the fragility of our secrets, and the resilience of the human spirit make this legal thriller an addictive and satisfying read.

3.5 Stars

I received this book free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve been more into mystery thrillers as of late and I like the crime aspect. This was an easy read that held my attention but it wasn’t anything groundbreaking or super twisty. The characters were fine and so was the story.
I’d maybe recommend it to others.

Family drama, murder mystery and psychological thriller combine in Darkness Drops again, a compulsively readable, thought proving novel that should go right to the top of your must read list.

Maeve Shaw is a lawyer, still trying to make partner after twelve years of dull, grinding work on civil cases. She’s assigned to a pro bono case even though she knows she will probably lose her job because of a lack of billable hours. There aren’t enough hours in the day for Maeve who is juggling the needs of her two small preschool age children with the absence of her husband who travels four days a week for work with the 175 billable hours expected from her. She’s also acutely aware of the unique challenges faced only by female attorneys. Scenes from her horrific childhood haunt her and problems in her marriage cause more insecurity but by the conclusion of Darkness Drops Again, Maeve Shaw finally has it all!

Melissa Manning is an incredibly talented author and I look forward to reading her next novel. I’m so sorry I didn’t review Darkness Drops Again before publication date last year. It deserves every one of 5 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley, Bowker and Melissa E. Manning for this ARC.

Title: Darkness Drops Again
Author: Melissa E. Manning
Publisher: Bowker
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Five
Review:
"Darkness Drops Again" by Melissa E. Manning

My Opinion:

"Darkness Drops Again" was an excellent legal thriller that not only reflexed on the story of Maeve, who was a lawyer and had been put on a pro-bono case that found her defending a mother who was accused of killing her drug-addicted daughter. But also, the story brought in Maeve's personal life as she grew up while living with her parents with demons of her own. And what was going on with Maeve's marriage? The story will be wound up around issues... of 'addiction, murder, legal system, infidelity, and friendship.' Be prepared for twists and turns, courtroom scenes that will keep you turning to pages to see what is coming next. This author really does an excellent job of bringing the reader a good storyline in this action-packed thriller where one will keep on guessing to the end!

Thank you to Bowker and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The story has several twists and turns that will leave you stunned. Mauve is an attorney who is struggling in her marriage and her job. Both things will collide in an unexpected reveal. She wins a big murder trial only to find out that things are not what they might have seem. Out of all the brokenness she realizes that she has really great friends and has made a family that loves her.

This story was remarkable and satisfying..it is a fine legal thriller.
Many thanks to Bowker and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

If you want a family drama meets legal thriller, this is the book for you this summer.
Maeve Shaw’s life seems perfect: she has a wonderful family with her husband and their two young boys, and she is finally on the way to making partner at her law firm.
As always though, nothing is as perfect as it seems. After all, her husband hasn’t shown any interest in her in a while and her work always demands more of her than a mother of two can give.
When she is then also put on a pro-bono case defending a mother accused of killing her daughter, everything starts to crumble: She has to put in extra billable hours, she’s noticing messages on her husband’s phone, and her new case of family violence brings up a lot of memories.

I read Darkness Drops Again in 4 hours. It is a quick paced read that flows easily from one chapter to the next. It is labeled as a criminal thriller, but I feel that is incorrect. Yes, the main character is a lawyer working on a criminal case, but the same feelings I get from a thriller genre book are not there with this read.
I am also uncertain as to how the title fits with the story. There are references to a darker time in her childhood that come flashing back to her during the present day. But I really struggle to see how those flashbacks fit with the title, even if they are the closest connection that I can make.

This was a quick read, interesting enough but somewhat superficial treatment of addiction, murder, cheating, friendship and the legal system, Not a bad book just forgetable

An excellent debut and an exciting legal thriller! In many respects, I can personally relate to Maeve, the main character, who is stressed beyond belief being a wife and mother of two young boys while working as a senior associate at a large law firm. Having been a litigation associate at a major law firm, what Maeve goes through with her workload — particularly the push for billable hours and the toll that takes on one’s life — is spot on! But Maeve’s struggles only form the backdrop for a well-plotted legal drama as she joins her firm’s pro bono team to defend a woman who allegedly murdered her drug-addict daughter. (Not to mention that Maeve herself is also dealing with demons from her past. There are plenty of twists and turns along throughout this page-turner, and the courtroom scenes are completely realistic. All in all, I hope that this is the beginning of a new series!

Maeve is a mother of two and is married to Patrick. Maeve is a strong professional in the legal field but she has some personal issues from her past. While Maeve is trying to scrape up some money she gets put on a pro bono case that triggers her. We learn about the onset of Maeve's personal issues. As if this wasn't enough for Maeve to handle, she sees a text and grows suspicious of her husband. This is lot to put into one book but Melissa E. Manning did an outstanding job. I was engaged the whole time and I kept wanting to learn more about Maeve's past and what she was going to do about her marriage. I work in the legal field so I enjoy reading thrillers that take place in my world. This was an action packed thriller and I highly recommend you give it a read.

Thanks NetGalley, Bowker and Melissa E. Manning for a copy to review.
An engaging legal thriller with enough plot twists to keep you guessing. I loved Maeve's personal growth road.

Maeve Shaw is an attorney trying to balance work, being a wife, and being a mother and not doing a very good job of it. She is sure her husband is having an affair which makes it hard to concentrate on work.

A fellow employee and friend convinces her to take a pro-bono job to defend a pageant type mom being accused of strangling her own daughter.

I am really struggling to write this review because honestly this book is a hot mess. Maeve is one of the most annoying characters I have come across recently. She is obsessed with her husband having an affair but rather than confront him about it she decides to go on a diet, wear sexy lingerie, and get a Brazilian wax in order to entice him back because it must be HER fault he is cheating.

"I didn't need to put a bow on my vajajay to coax him into it. Now I'm not so sure. There has to be some reason Patrick wants Marcie's punani and not mine."

Um, gross.

As far as storylines go I was not invested in either one. Not her sham of a marriage and not the boring as can be murder trial. I hate to be so critical but this book was a complete dud. 1 star!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bowker for my DRC.

Book Info
Paperback, 217 pagesPublished June 5th 2020 by Bowker (first published January 5th 2020)
ISBN 173504931X (ISBN13: 9781735049311)
Edition Language English
Other Editions (3)
Source:Netgalley EARC
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"With jaw-dropping twists balanced perfectly with down-to-earth mom-moments, Darkness Drops Again is a sexy crime thriller that isn't afraid to push the envelope." - Indies Today

Thirty-nine-year-old attorney Maeve Shaw has painstakingly constructed the perfect life. Her husband, Patrick, is a handsome senior manager at a prestigious consulting firm. They have two adorable boys, Declan and Seamus. And if Maeve just keeps her billable hours up and her mouth shut, she could actually have a shot at making partner at her male-dominated law firm.

But Maeve’s perfect life starts to fall apart when she discovers her marriage might not be what it seems and a new case at work brings up long hidden, dark memories from her own childhood. Determined to save her marriage and keep secret her childhood demons Maeve attempts a balancing act that leaves her more vulnerable than she’s ever been. And soon she’s unsure if everything she has worked so hard for will crumble as darkness overtakes Maeve once again.

Perfect for fans of Liane Moriarty and Celeste Ng, this page turning legal thriller will keep readers hooked till the very end.
My Thoughts


Maeve Shaw is living the American Dream, good job, handsome husband and 2 beautiful little boys that keep her days and nights full.

However, as all good dreams must Maeve’s turns out to be not exactly what it appears to outsiders. Instead things begin to spin out of control to the point struggle becomes more about keeping her head above water mentally as Maeve’s darkest childhood memories are triggered.

The story addresses real issues and at the same time delivers the thrill of discovery as the pro-bono case Maeve finds herself at first reluctantly a part of becomes more and more intriguing, both to her and the reader as it’s secrets unfold.

Solid plot lines, characters and execution.

Looking forward hope author pens and releases book 2 sooner than later!

[EArc from Netgalley]

On every book read as soon as it is done and written up for review it is posted on Goodreads and Netgalley, once released then posted on Amazon, Barnes and Nobles as well.

When Maeve Shaw graduated from law school, she had a solid picture in her mind of the path her life would follow. After marrying a classmate, Patrick, the two worked diligently to build the perfect life with their two young sons. However, Maeve was not content with her position, realizing that preparing briefs on student loans wouldn’t help her make partner, especially at the age of 39. The offer to be part of a pro bono criminal case was a terrifying thought, given her past, but Maeve had no choice, and she spent a lot of overtime hours in order to work on the defense while creating enough billable hours to satisfy her supervisor. In addition to the pressures at work, her sons were developing anxiety, according to their day care providers, and Patrick’s position at work was such that he was out of town from Monday to Friday each week.

I’m a huge fan of crime drama and legal thrillers, and Darkness Drops Again did not disappoint. I enjoyed watching Maeve navigate through panic and betrayals all while balancing motherhood and work expectations. I found her work ethic easy to relate to, having been a single parent of a small child while working a demanding job, and her awful boss Jabba was also familiar. This was an exciting story, with several unexpected twists, and my attention was captured from the beginning.

A fun book! The subplots worked well and I loved all the twists. I wasn’t totally sold on how immediately accommodating the protagonist was to her husband’s infidelity with her best friend.

Rollercoaster of a ride. This is a amazing story of a woman in the law profession handling cases, marriage and motherhood.. Absolutely keeps you on the edge of your seat! Unbelievable read!

Maeve Shaw, a lawyer in a prestigious law firm, is hoping to make partner soon. She needs to get her billable hours up though in order to have a chance. She has two young boys and her husband spends his week out of town for his job. Then she gets picked to be on a pro bono team defending a woman who has been charged with the murder of her daughter. She doesn't want to be on this case for two reasons, she won't get billable hours and she has a family background that causes her to have panic attacks.
As she is dealing with her work problems, she sees a text on her husband's phone and decides he is having an affair with one of his coworkers. Her life is falling apart but she puts everything she has into the criminal case.

This was an enjoyable read. I liked how both elements of the story -- the legal thriller and the personal sides -- were equally flushed out and interesting. Recommended!