I was instantly drawn to this by the cover and the fact it was set in cork, Ireland. This is set over dual timeline 1994 & 2024 which was done really well. I went between reading and listening to this one. Some good twists along the way and wrapped up well. Rounded up to 4 stars and a well written debut novel. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for this arc.

I was very impressed with this debut novel as it was something different to read, being set in Cork in Ireland. It is told in dual timeline in 1994 and 2024 with Julia being a young garda to being retired however she is brought back into a case along with her ex boss, to solve a new case which has too many similarities to one which she was involved in years ago. The story easily flows between the two periods and as the reader, you are kept waiting until almost the very end to find out who the baddie is - and I didn't guess it either !! Overall 4.5*

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC to review.

I loved the first half of this. It felt very dark and intriguing. But the second half didn't interest me as much, and I struggled. But I want to give it another try, so I'm going to listen to the audiobook and come back to hopefully write a better review.

Right away I was gripped by the darkness and intensity and the pace kept this up throughout the book, overall a very intense and atmospheric read.

I thought this was a brilliant written debut novel. The thriller genre is so popular (and read so often by me) but I still felt that this story was fresh and kept me guessing.

I particularly loved how the author wrote the relationships within the book and I was really impacted by the loss of certain characters as a result.

Would definitely read more books from this author

4* ADVANCED REVIEW. COPY

Amy Jordan makes her crime novel debut with this well constructed story about a retired police officer revisiting an historic case as a killer is either back or being cleverly copy-catted.

For once the hard boiled ex-cop isn't a grizzled old chap, its a former police woman, and in Julia Hart we have a character that I'd certainly like to read more about.

Keep up the good work Ms Jordan

4.25⭐

I found The Dark Hours to be an intriguing debut novel to read. Although I'm not a big fan of stories with dual timelines. However, there was something captivating about this one.

As a retired DI, Julia Harte is living in the secluded village of Cuan Beag. On the east coast of Ireland. Where she is determined to put her life as a detective behind her. Especially during the period in 1994 when she worked as a young gardai on a disturbing serial killer case.

A serial killer who has recently died in jail.

But unfortunately for Julia, her peaceful existence with her dog mutt doesn't last long. As she is pulled back to the city of Cork for a murder investigation. That is eerily similar to the case from 1994.

Yet, it has to be a copycat, doesn't it?

Well, Julia is determined to find out and she's a much different person and detective now from the one who helped catch that killer thirty years ago.

And with great pacing, an interesting premise, an intricate plot, and complex characters. Not to mention a well-balanced mix of mystery and thrills. This was an enjoyable debut novel and I would happily recommend it to others.

A truly brilliant plot

In 1994, Garda Julia Harte and her partner of many years, Adrian Clancy are asked to investigate a noise complaint. Something that they’ve attended many times in the past, however, this night it turns deadly and none of their training is going to help them with the catastrophic events that happen. Julia Harte’s life changes radically that night, leaving her with visions that will haunt for forever.

Like all women who joined the police at that time, she must fight for her right to be part of the team investigating the murder of her partner in a police force that still looks on women as “the weaker sex.” Some of her methods seem almost manic to make the detective section realise that they do need her involvement to capture the killer.

In 2024 Detective Inspector Julia Harte has retired and has found the idyllic cottage in a remote part of Ireland to enjoy her retirement. Her peace and quiet is disturbed when her old superintendent requests her to return as two girls have been murdered and the killings echo the murders that took place in 1994.

Amy Jordan has written the perfect page-turner. This novel has so much angst, misogyny, brilliant police work, and outstanding characters that it must rank as one of my best reads so far this year.

Rony
Elite Reviews received a copy of the book from NetGalley to review.

This is a gripping and tense read that had me on the edge of my seat! I knew from the first few chapters that I was going to enjoy this one and I was very much correct.

Told in two timelines, we follow Julia as she deals with one of the toughest cases in her career. I really liked that we got to see Julia at these two different times in her life. In 1994, she's incredibly determined, almost forcing herself on to the case as it becomes incredibly personal to her. In 2024, she's retired but still living in fear at the case that helped boost her career. We get to see how she's grown over the years and how her training and knowledge has developed. I have a degree in criminal psychology, so I loved seeing how it all came together.

This was a brilliant debut novel and reminded me why I love the crime fiction! I'm intrigued to see what Jordan writes next!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Dark Hours is a very impressive debut novel. I will admit, the first half was very much a slow burn and just as I was becoming a little frustrated, bam, the action ramps up and so much was packed into the second half.

Told in dual timelines, linking 1994 and 2024, retired detective Julia Harte is talked into consulting on a copycat case. In 1994 Julia was involved in a serial killer case that cost her her marriage and left her deeply traumatized. Now in 2024 young women are once again being targeted. But the original perpetrator is dead.

High stakes tension and plenty of brilliant characterisation make this an engaging read. I was invested and had my own list of suspects worked out. It did tick a lot of boxes in that it wasn't predictable and kept my attention. But there was no way of the reader being able to piece all the parts of the puzzle together as there'd been no hints in the book as to who the new copycat killer could be. I like thrillers which allow the reader to work it out with the right clues put together, but there was no way of doing that with this storyline. Which doesn't make it a bad story, just slightly dissatisfying for me.

Overall a brilliant debut.

The Dark Hours by Amy Jordan is a debut crime thriller by the author and is an outstanding crime thriller to read.
Julia Harte is a retired police detective who must try to capture a vicious killer and quieten. the memories that haunt her, thirty years after capturing one of Ireland’s most prolific serial killers.
After her retirement Julia found the perfect spot to disappear,Cuan Beag, a secluded coastal village on the east coast of Ireland. Whilst it is a secluded place to escape from the hustle and bustle of police life, it is in the dark hours of the night that the memories surface.
Thirty years ago Julia helped to capture a serial killer, James Cox and then had a successful career in the police force, wrote a text book on police procedures and was divorced by her husband Philip, after he had been attacked by James Cox.
Now her and her mentor, Des Riordan have been asked to assist with another series of deaths, that resemble the killings of James Cox, who has recently died in prison.
There are so many similarities to the killings thirty years ago which bring back so many memories and Julia has to wonder whether they will be able to solve this case before more people die.
Highly recommended

I loved the format of this - it was giving me proper ITV drama vibes and I think if this was a TV show it would a good one.

This type of narrative style with the mix of past and present is my favourite, especially in this genre as it just makes it that little bit more exciting and intriguing for me.

Full of twists and exciting events as the case investigations go on, it's hard not to feel for the former detective as she steps back into the life that she ran away from.

Definitely one to keep an eye out for and I will be recommending this to everyone I know that likes a thriller type novel!

Reclusive former Garda officer Julia Harte is scared of the dark, haunted by a case from 30 years earlier. When news comes through that the killer she caught has died, Julia thinks she can rest easy until the copycat killings start. She is pulled into the new investigation and as she thinks about the past, she begins to see a new picture.
This is a really great debut novel. I loved the dual time line although I found the 1994 case far more satisfying, mainly because, to my mind, the denouement of the 2024 case is slightly disappointing. However that is a minor quibble as this is really strong writing for a police procedural.

Irish Crime Fiction is not a genre I’ve had much experience of but Liz Nugent certainly knocked me for six last year with “Strange Sally Diamond” becoming my 2024 Book Of The Year. With Irish Literary Fiction so strong in recent years there’s bound to be a knock-on to other areas of the Irish publishing world and this debut from a Cork resident reflects the quality of writing I’ve come to expect from the Emerald Isle.
Julia Harte is enjoying retirement in a secluded village on Ireland’s east coast with her dog, Mutt. The tranquility is soon shattered when back in Cork, a copycat killer is retreading a crime spree from 30 years earlier which had life changing effects for Julia. Her involvement then leads her old boss to enlist her help, putting these two ex-police back into a world they’d departed and experiencing how it has changed as well as placing them in the firing line with these connected crimes.
There are two third-person narratives, one from 1994 when Julia is a Garda at the beginning of her distinguished career running alongside the modern-day strand. It is strong as a dual police procedural but also as a thriller where it is dark and at times very intense. There’s definite skill in the timing of plot twists, on more than occasion I was shocked by the turns things had taken. Characterisation is solid, the younger Julia, especially, will frustrate readers but her occasional recklessness is understandable. I’m actually hoping that this is a stand-alone because by the end this main character has been through quite enough, but it is certainly an unpredictable thrilling and well-written ride.
The Dark Hours is published on 30th January 2025 by HQ books, an imprint of Harper Collins. Many thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for the advance review copy.

Considering this is a debut novel, it is written brilliantly with depth of characters and a gripping storyline.
The story is set in the present day and in 1994.

In 1994 Julia Harte is working a serial killer case and boy is it gruesome the killer definitely doesn't hold out!

2024, Julia is now retired but has been asked to consult the Cork Garda police with hunting down a serial killer that has links to her past.

A very enjoyable read.

Julia Harte, a former Garda, has settled into a quiet life in rural Ireland. But when her old boss calls for help, she is drawn back to Cork City to hunt down a murderer that imitates a killer who once shattered her world.
The story flows between 1994 and 2024, with the author deliberately withholding key details, slowly unraveling the past and keeping the reader guessing before they can fully grasp what transpired.
Quiet atmospheric and enjoyable read.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me this ARC.

Told in 2 timeperiods, 30 years apart and set in Cork. The main character is Julia, in 1994 a Gardai and in 2024 retired, but asked to advise after 2 girls are killed in a copycat killing which is a carbon copy of a case she solved. Julia is a determined character and although she retired to a coastal village of the East coast, she is restless. She has mixed feelings about returning to Cork. The details of the cases are gradually revealed and the suspense builds up as the book goes on. The crimes are bloody and cryptic and if I had a criticism the twists and turns are such that as they are being wound up, totally new information comes to light ( you are definately not going to guess who the perpetrator is)
I loved the writing style, Julia is a no nonsense character and I appreciated that she is an older woman who still has something to contribute to society. The crimes are and the reasons behind them are believable, the pacing just right, it picks up as the book progresses. More reliance on old fashioned policing rather than technology. Characterizations also done well . Definately a must read author for me in the future and suprised that such a brilliant book is her debut.
Thanks to Net Galley for a great read

Julia found a place to just hide and be herself but the peace doesn't last. She soon finds herself dragged back to her past. KIllings similar to a murderer from years ago are happening in the same location. Can she figure it out or is history set to repeat itself.

Well this was very dark and thrilling. Its a little slow to start but once i got into it. I was hooked. Its told in past and present throughout the book, slowly building up all the connections. I found the plot really interesting and the big reveal was clever if rather twisted. This deals with a lot of trauma and grief so its tough going at times. The ending was really good. Bittersweet and sad. Yet just a hint of hope for the future which I liked. A brilliant thriller.

A pacy domestic police procedural that will have you turning the pages. There are many things I enjoyed about Amy Jordan's novel "The Dark Hours", but I especially enjoyed the dual timeline of 1994 and 2024, both focusing on Garda/Retired Detective Julia Harte; the fact that we meet her as a retired, middle-aged woman, as well as her younger, career-climbing self, is a welcome change from the usual focus on just younger characters. The narrative from 30 years ago is also engrossing as Harte has to contend with having her ambition stifled in a male-dominated career (plus, from a logistical point of view, it is nice to read about cases that are not tech-reliant every so often).
We are curious about her immediately, hidden away in a self-imposed exile in the West. However, as she is drawn back into a particular past case, the defining one of her career, we understand her need to be alone, to get through 'the dark hours'. The local references are engaging (and we all know us Cork people love reading about Cork, to be fair!) The plotline concerning her book is a pointed look at the whole 'armchair sleuth' movement and the negative repercussions of such unwanted meddling.
I flew through this book in a few days; it is well-paced overall, with plenty of the twists and turns you'd hope for in such a novel. I am already looking forward to reading the next instalment with Ms Harte.

#Netgalley #Gifted

The Dark Hours is the debut novel from Irish author Amy Jordan. It’s out this week, and if you love a creepy thriller mixed with a police procedural, then you’ll love this. My nerves were shot!

Set in Cork over two timelines, we meet retired Detective Inspector Julia Harte in the modern day setting. She lives a quiet life in a secluded coastal village with her dog, she keeps to herself and always has a golf club on hand in case someone very dangerous comes back from her past.

This brings us back to the second timeline; 1994, where Julia is a young Garda embroiled in an investigation of what turns out to be the worst serial killer Ireland has ever known.
She is profoundly affected by this case and so is horrified but willing to help when she’s asked as a retired detective to return to Cork city and help in what appears to be a copy cat killer of the 1994 murders. One big problem with that is Julia appears to be a target herself, can she stop this new threat before they stop her?

This is a seriously well written, gripping thriller. A word of warning; it’s dark. I feel like if you’ve enjoyed the Kay Scarpetta books, and the tv shows Silent Witness and Luther, you’ll appreciate The Dark Hours too. I’m hoping someone in RTE is a reader and picks this one up because I think it would make excellent tv; I love that our protagonist is both a plucky young garda trying to make her way in a sexist institution, and later, a seasoned professional, wise and no-nonsense in her approach. A badass, either way. We need more female characters like Julia.

Highly recommend this one, I was glued to my kindle! With many thanks @netgalley for my early copy. All opinions are my own, as always.