This was certainly a very unexpected read as it is so different than her last book.
Less bodies, more suspense!
A murder mystery with a difference and an unexpected outcome that’s all most impossible to guess!

The Holden family have disappeared, the house in a state as if the family only just left. The police are investigating, things may not be as they seem and are the family? Concern ramps up when a blood stained message is found in the teenagers room, what happened to the Holden's and where are they now?

The timeline flips around the disappearance, days, hours, weeks before and with each jump we get a different glimpse of the people they are. What was happening in their lives, interactions, actions and secrets. Present day takes us into the investigation, DC Saul and colleagues and the missing wife Piper's best friend Julianne. Pretty much all of these characters have some kind of secret to hide, aren't exactly the nicest of people, seriously some of them are super weird!

It took me a little bit to settle to and get my head around it, a fair few characters, storylines and as I said timelines surrounding the missing family. I have a lot going on at home so my concentration is all over the place and hooking into a book just now is a struggle. I was pulled in pretty quickly (as I do with Cummins books) because I am a total nosey reader. I want to know what went down, how, why and when you get a book that teases out the information and reveals it secrets layer by layer you absolutely get invested. The characters aren't nice people, some of the behaviours are indeed shocking *gasp* which makes you reluctant to put it down. I would like to see some of the characters again because what on earth could X Y Z do next, this may just be wishful thinking as I don't think Cummins does series but they say a good author leaves the reader wanting more, 4/5 for me this time.

Piper Holden and Julianne Hillier are, on the face of it, yummy mummies. They have been the closest of friends for over fifteen years and, live in expense homes in the poshest part of Midtown-on-Sea, they both have a daughter and a son, and rich, workaholic, borderline abusive and coercive husbands. Underneath these public personae, they are distinctly less yummy! Every morning they meet at Piper’s house and go for a run, but this particular Tuesday Piper isn’t there, nor are her husband and children. The kitchen resembles the Marie Celeste, with the addition of all their phones sitting on charge. There is an air of rushed departure, a mist of blood on the chandelier and a cryptic message written in blood on a mirror.
The police team assigned to this suspicious disappearance, includes rookie DC Saul Anguish and Dr Clover March, known as Blue, a forensic linguist. Each of them have outré secrets they do not wish to share, especially with their acerbic boss, DI O’Neill, but they feel the draw of kindred spirits and team up semi-officially to investigate. The prima facie reasons appear to be financial troubles or escape from abuse, but it rapidly becomes clear that the women and their lives are much more intertwined than would be predicted. Where and why becomes much more confusing, not only to the police but also to the reader who is coping with much more information than they are.
The story is written from various perspectives but mostly from those of the two women and the two, rather weird, police personnel. It is told in vignettes assembled, to a very precise plan, from incidents before and after the disappearance. It is not a procedural by any stretch of the definition, nor yet a standard mystery since there isn’t a final whodunnit moment. It does, however, hold one’s attention to the end. I’m not sure that the characters Saul and Blue add much to the story; they certainly don’t add anything to the plot. Perhaps they are on a trial run to see if they could carry a future work?
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.

4-5 stars rounded up

‘Here there be monsters’ in the uncharted waters of the upmarket Essex seaside town of Midtown-on-Sea. In fact, these waters are shark infested with deep and dangerous under-currents. It’s a Tuesday morning when the Holden family disappear. Friend Julianne calls for Piper for their weekly jog, Piper‘s husband Gray’s car is unusually still on the drive, breakfast is on the table, washing circulating in the machine, phones are charging but none of the family are there. There is one definite sign that something is distinctly amiss, a fine mist of blood coating an antique chandelier. Coincidentally, DC Saul Anguish arrives in Midtown to join the major crimes unit led by DI Angus O’Neill but that’s quite another story. What develops and unfolds is told in non-linear timeline and from several perspectives and which flows extremely well.

Wow, this is yet another excellent psychological thriller from this talented author, this one is deviously and deliciously dark from beginning to end and you savour every unpredictable twist and turn. You think you’ve figured the ever deepening mystery out, you haven’t! This is a
multilayered thriller with lives and pasts colliding, with very complex characters with extremely complicated backgrounds and even more tangled relationships. Few it has to be said are likable and are masters of deception and manipulation. A few have very dark pasts, are concealing huge secrets that are disturbing and chilling. The panic and fear, tension and suspense builds and you feel as if you are on a rollercoaster ride propelling you at great momentum towards an outcome you cannot foresee. There is treachery, lies by the truckload and one character who is so cold calculating it freezes your blood. This is a jet black, intense, thrill of a ride with a rather enjoyable ending, so well played!

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Pan MacMillan for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

I really enjoyed reading this book. Great characters, the pace of the book was good, especially for an impatient reader like me. The plot totally kept me guessing until the last page. This is definitely going into my top ten books for this year, and as much as I am hoping to read many more good books this year, I would not be at all surprised if it was still in the top ten at the end of the year. Cracking book.

I read “Into The Dark” thinking it was a standalone story, however, after talking to a few other reviewers who have also read this, I have since found out that “Saul Anguish” is a previous character from Cummins DS Fitzroy duology (Rattle & The Collector). Now personally, I didn’t feel disadvantaged for not knowing this, and I still ended up liking the strange characteristics of Saul Anguish. However, without spoiling anything for soon to be readers, some of Saul’s personality traits and background history might have made more sense if I had previously read the above two mentioned titles.

I do hope though, that with the introduction of Blue (Dr Clover Marsh) and the quirky relationship between her and Saul, that this potentially is the start of a new ongoing series, and if that is the case, I am all here for it! I really loved the individual characteristics and misguided morals of “Saul” and “Blue” and I am looking forward to seeing the sub-plot develop further between them as the series (fingers crossed) develops.

I honestly enjoyed this more for the sub-plot (Saul & Blue) than the storyline itself. Not Cummins usual fast paced, well thought out storyline which I admit was a little disappointing.

If any readers out there enjoy reading the acknowledgements section by an author like I do, you will most likely have acknowledged Fiona’s gratefulness to fellow authors in the crime community who encouraged her to continue writing during the pandemic lockdowns. In a brutally honest way, Fiona mentions how the complexities of current life drained her of her creative focus. I am sure this has a great deal to do with why avid Fiona Cummins fans just haven’t found this to be her best work. So, when reading this, don’t be quick to judge and leave negative comments, remember being locked down with restrictions was hard for us all and be grateful that our favourite authors didn’t take time off from writing when they were most likely struggling themselves.

“When I Was Ten” was an outstanding read for me and whilst in my opinion, this doesn’t come anywhere close to packing the same punch, it is still something I recommend you read with a view to encouraging Cummins and her publishing team that this needs to be continued as an ongoing series.

4 Stars – Recommended Read!

Publication Date: 14th April 2022

Thank you to #NetGalley, #PanMacmillian and #FionaCummins for an ARC of #IntoTheDark in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book but I didn’t find it as gripping as her previous ones. Like other reviewers I found it a bit complicated at the start and I didn’t really warm to the characters even though I really wanted to in fact I really wanted to enjoy it much more than I did so maybe I was expecting and hoping for too much. There are lots of twists and turns and nicely weaved story but I was desperate for a jaw dropping moment and unfortunately I didn’t get one. it will appeal to a lot of readers and it was well written but maybe I expected too much. Thanks for the publisher and Netgalley for an advance copy to read and review .

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I couldn't put it down!

A great mystery, full of twists and turns which is exactly what I wanted. The characters while not likeable are definitely interesting and the story is a brilliant one. Kept me guessing throughout.

Fiona Cummins has a uniquely clever way of turning the most apparent mundane neighbourhoods into havens of dark characters and their secret lives. A thoroughly enthralling novel set in Midtown-on-Sea which sounds delightful but really, it's not. At first, you want to befriend her characters especially Pippa Holden and live their idyllic lives but no for long. From the first chapter to the grand finale, you will be gripped. No character is here by accident and Fiona cleverly weaves them all together in this fine tale and you'll be glad the Holdens aren't your neighbours!

This book had me guessing to the end . It’s a psychological thriller that takes so many turns you have no idea how it’s going to conclude. I enjoyed the descriptions of where the book was set the affluent suburb of Midtown. Behind the facade lurks a pure evil collection of dissolute people. Each with their own hidden agenda and how these interlocking stories plays out makes a fascinating read. Not to give too much away the police investigators are just as interesting. Would highly recommend this book and would encourage people who like the psychological genre to read.

There are so many "twisty"' domestic thrillers out there that it's easy to get bored but this one really stands out. Its original and gripping and genuinely captivating. Don't pass it by! I love when a book makes me lose sleep :)

I would like to thank Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for an advance copy of Into the Dark, a stand-alone psychological thriller set in the fictional English town of Midtown-on-Sea.

Jennifer Hillier goes to her friend Piper Holden’s house, only to find breakfast half eaten, a message written in blood and no sign of Piper, her husband or two teenage children. DC Saul Anguish is new to Major Crimes and is determined to make his mark in this investigation.

I thoroughly enjoyed Into the Dark, which is a clever read with a plot full of twists and turns. The format could be confusing with several points of view and a timeline that shifts back to various points prior to the disappearance as well as maintaining a current day narrative, but helpful headings (like, Tuesday morning, the day the Holdens disappeared) keep the reader grounded. This is a format that I normally don’t like and can’t get immersed in, but the author weaves her usual magic and I was hooked from the start.

It was the premise that initially caught my attention as there is obviously more going on than a simple disappearance and soon I was all in on finding out what. That what is more complicated and twisted than I could ever have imagined and the author does a great job of the slow reveal, gradually peeling back the veneer to reveal some dirty dealings and single mindedness. She also manages some great misdirection that I fell for every time. Note to self: don’t believe a word anyone says in future novels.

It was interesting to read a novel where every main character is unpleasant with illegal habits, not that it’s immediately apparent. Their darkness, like the rest of the plot, is slowly revealed as the novel progresses. It must be the plot that held my attention to overcome my dislike of the characters and the format.

Into the Dark is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

The covid restrictions were mainly lifted here last weekend so we could head out and hit the town. But I didn't as I wanted to see how this book finished! The story begins with a missing family, they seem to have just disappeared one morning and a chilling message is left in the daughters bedroom. The story unfolds and we discover that everyone is harbouring a secret.
I really enjoyed the book. Although the two main female characters are not very likeable I was engrossed in what they were up to. In turn they were married to two not very nice husbands, one of which was also up to no good. The new detective in town is a character we have met before in Fionas books and this book sets him up for some future stories, possibly with a partner? The story does jump in timelines but once you get used to it that really fills in the back story and leads to many twists and turns.
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for granting me an ARC in exchange for an honest review

One late autumn morning, Piper’s best friend arrives at Seawings to discover an eerie scene – the kettle is still warm, all the family’s phones are charging on the worktop, the cars are in the garage. But the house is deserted.

In fifteen-year-old Riva Holden’s bedroom, scrawled across the mirror in blood, are three words:

Make
Them
Stop.

What happens next?

Well let me tell you what happens next, you get sucked into a twisty, dark thriller which will keep you guessing until the last page. This book is told over the course of different timelines, weeks before the Holdens go missing, the days/hours leading up to it and the hours/days after it happens. Whilst books written in this format can often be confusing, there was no other way for this story to be told. The benefits of this approach lie in the twists coming at various points in the timeline which would not have worked in a traditional linear timeline.

A very dark, twisty, thriller that will take you in a direction you will not see coming. Oh, and what an ending!

Thanks to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

Finished in 2 days!

It was a little complicated at first, with all the many timeframes and individuals only partially revealing what they've been up to, but I couldn't put it down after I got halfway through. What a ride with so many twists and turns! I had no idea where it was headed.

Not a huge lover of this type of conclusion, and to be honest, When I Was Ten is still my favourite, but it was still a fun read!

You can never trust what people tell you and never more so in this book. It’s one of those you can read once and then go back an read again and go aaaaahhh as all the pointers were there you just don’t pick them up. Great.

What an excellent read this was and it kept me gripped from the first page to the very last page.. it gives us the lead up to and present day of a family that just totally vanish into thin air but then again nothing is ever as it seems, a brilliant book ..

This compelling book opens with the discovery that the entire Holden family have disappeared. Their house eerily silent, the kettle still warm, mobile phones left unattended, school bags by the door, cars still parked outside and, chillingly, the words "make them stop" written in blood on the mirror in the daughter's bedroom.
This book is dark, complex and meticulously plotted. The storyline is one of obsession, revenge and the power of greed. It flits mercilessly between multiple timelines both before and after the disappearance of the Holdens. Running alongside the main premise is a second, equally dark layer to the plot, that of the main detective, DC Saul Anguish and his developing relationship with the forensic linguist Dr Clover March, whom he nicknames Blue. I have to say that this part of the book was a bit confusing for me and I wasn't entirely sure of the relevance of some of it. It may well have helped give me more clarity around this back story had I read the author's earlier books The Collector and Rattle, but ultimately this did not detract from my wholehearted enjoyment of the book.
It's a gripping read and is absolutely littered with twists and turns that kept me guessing throughout. Into the Dark is due to be published in April 2022 and is well worth a read! If, like me, you loved When We Were Ten, then you'll absolutely love this too. Fiona Cummins certainly does not disappoint!
My thanks to Netgalley and publishers Pan Macmillan for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

Hmmm where to start with this one? Let’s just get it out there - I didn’t like it. I’ve read all of this author’s books and this was the worst. When I think back to her first books - Rattle and The Collector, which were creepy, thrilling and engaging, this book feels like it was written by someone else.

In a nutshell - two best friends who are both equally as unlikeable, come up with a ridiculous idea to stage one of their disappearances in order to start a new life with money they’ve been stealing/conning over the years. Needless to say it doesn’t quite go to plan. Throw in some police procedural action, a bit of teenage angst, past family tragedy and an attempt at a blossoming romance between a detective and the somewhat quirky forensic linguist and you’ve got this. Add in the jumbling around of timelines (at least the author helpfully tells the reader at the beginning of each chapter which day in relation to the disappearances we’re on) and off you go on this mundane journey.

All through this book I kept thinking has the author wrote this as an attempt to get it made into a BBC drama - you know the type, shown across three consecutive nights - a cliffhanger each episode to keep you watching and then when you get to the end you feel cheated at the ending because it’s so far fetched and a bit miffed you invested three hours of your time to watch such drivel?! This is that book - set in a wealthy, seaside village (that’s a tick for the visual aesthetics) bonkers characters that suddenly right near the end they throw in a completely out the blue key piece of history; a detective with a shady past (every drama needs a dodgy detective!) and then introducing a plot line quite near the end that doesn’t get resolved.

I stuck with this book for two reasons - firstly I hoped it would get better and secondly I don’t like to not finish a story.

Sorry Fiona, but next time leave the mundane kitchen sink drama and bring back the creepy.

Thank you for the PanMac Maketing for the ARC.

Another fantastic book by this author, great thriller packed full of mystery. Great characters, I'd love to read more about Saul and Blue in the future. Very atmospheric, I will definitely be recommending this book.