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.

I’m going against the average review here I’m afraid I wasn’t convinced by a reclusive retired police officer being brought back into action along side an even older detective. It was fairly slow moving but that’s not to say it didn’t have a decent storyline because it did. I preferred the older Julia probably because she was a more rounded character. A good idea and a good debut book.

It is a compelling and immersive crime thriller set in Ireland that immediately draws the reader into an atmospheric and menacing ethos. Julia is a retired Irish police detective living in a remote village trying to escape her past and ever-present nightmares. Alone, except for a rescue dog, she finds the solace she seeks. Unexpected news allows her to integrate with the small community, but when she receives a phone call from her ex-boss, she has to face her worst fears. I empathised and invested in Julia, and this connection intensified as her past story unfolded. I like the dual timeline that informs Julia's present state of mind. I also liked the intensifying suspense and the dynamic between the investigating teams, which makes the story authentic. The quality of the characters and the gradual revelations make this an addictive book that I read long into the night.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

I loved the premise of this novel - seeing a police officer at the very start of her career in 1994, then when she's called back as a retired detective in 2024 to pick up a case that has echoes of that traumatic first one.

The novel is set in Ireland and we see the young Gardai Julia Harte walking into a horrific crime scene - one where women are killed and their bodies staged, and where tragedy strikes at the heart of her police team. An investigation follows where Julia helps to bring down a prolific and brutal serial killer. This turns out to be the case she can't forget, so it comes as no surprise that (in 2024) she's retired and living in a small, safe community in order to get over the events of her past. When new murders start with the old modus operandi, Julia is called back into the police team and is forced to face her demons. It's an older, wiser Julia who picks up the modern-day investigation, but can she meet the challenge?

I was really impressed by this twisty crime novel, especially given that it is a debut from Amy Jordan. It's definitely quite dark, dealing with graphic crime scenes, brutal murders and psychological trauma. However, it's also well written and definitely one you won't want to put down once you start reading. I'd definitely be interested in reading more from this new writer.

This is almost two stories running in parallel, one set in 1994 and one in 2024.

Julia Harte is a Garda in Ireland, and in 1994 she was called out with her partner Adrian to respond to a complaint of noise at a housing estate - the call turned very sour as two young women were found, fatally injured, and her partner is attacked. Julia built up her career from here but the case shadows her and eventually she retires to a secluded area.

However, her former superintendent gets in touch as a series of murders has taken place and the methodology reflects what happened years ago and the Gardai would like their input and experience.

The result is a fast paced and interesting read, although I found the time switching rather distracting. The author cleverly builds tension and doesn't give away all the background information too quickly but leaves the reader to guess and work things out, which was great. Overall a very good read. Thank you to NetGalley and HQ for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Loved this book by Amy Jordan!!
Great characters with the story unfolding across a dual time-line, this is a very good crime novel. The fact that the lead character is an older retired detective adds an extra element to the story and the twists in the investigation kept me hooked to the end. An interesting new voice in Irish crime writing!

A brilliant read told over two timelines , 1994 and 2024
Julia Harte, an ambitious Garda in 1994 dealing with a vicious case that involves the murder of her partner and which will go on to define her life and change it irrevocably.
Julia Hatre a retired Detective Inspector who lives a quiet life and thought she’d left her former Garda life behind her.
Two cases, three decades, and one excellent read from an author I hope to hear more from in the future.

Oh my goodness, this book was tense! Right from the start I was on the edge of my seat and I never left it! Two different time lines and complex characters but easy to follow. I love a police procedural novel and this is a good one! I was surprised to learn it was a debut novel as it really did feel accomplished and written with the confidence and skill of an author with a few books under her belt. I really do hope this is the start of a series for Julia Harte.

Thank you to NetGalley and HQ Publishing for an eARC of this book.

I’ll be honest, the blurb might not inspire too much. The “serial killer has died but someone is killing in the same way” is probably Serial Killer Plot B (Plot A is just “there’s a serial killer”). What makes a difference here is the split narrative. We follow both the 1994 and 2024 investigations in parallel, with the author doing a good job in the present day narrative of masking the conclusion to the 1994 case. So we see two versions of Julia – the less experienced officer pushing her way into an investigation that has rapidly become very personal to her and the older, wiser version who is determined not to make the same mistakes. Her development between the stories – and in the two strands – is very interesting to follow.

It works very well. It’s a very readable book and Julia is a good focus for the story. There are a couple of good reveals in the two finales and a very interesting motive for the modern day killings.

I’m putting this caveat in my reviews at the moment – this isn’t a clued mystery, and the motives in particular, unless I missed something, seemed to come out of nowhere. So this does fit firmly into the thriller genre, despite having a whodunit element to the story. Not a bad thing, just so you know what you’re getting.

An interesting read – the split narrative is a good structure – so if you like this sort of thriller, do check it out.

The Dark Hours is a gripping, suspenseful novel with an amazing lead character who retired from the her position as a detective some years prior. She gets a call from her former DCI who believes they should help on a new case years after they worked a similar case.

Jordan creates a cast of believable characters and her plotting is brilliant with one of two clever twists.

Oh my goodness, if this is a debut novel for Amy Jordan long may she continue writing.
I love a book that I can get really invested in and this one had me hooked from the first page.
Rookie cops Julia Harte and Adrian Clancy are sent to investigate the sound of a child crying in the house next door to complainant.........life was never to be the same again.
This is the story of Julia Harte and it is based over two timelines, three decades apart but it flows very well.
In 1994 Julia's life was to change forever as she begged and badgered her superiors to let her join the team investigating a serial killer, a killer that was in her nightmares, she had a vested interest.
In 2024 Julia had retires to the peace of quiet, costal Cuan Beag, just her and her faithful, adored dog, Mutt, quiet until a call from her past had her heading back to the city. A copycat killer was on the loose, the head of the team wasn't happy to have Julia and her also retired ex boss Desmond Rioden looking over his shoulder but his boss had insisted.
Julia wasn't going to be intimidated, the killer in 1924 had almost cost Julia her life and had cost her her marriage, all she wanted to do was find the killer and return to Cuan Beag and peace.
As this story unfolds, the two cases are compared, there had to be a connection, what was the common denominator ? was the killer working alone ?
Julia is once more putting her life on the line but is she a target ?
I loved this story, it was action packed, suspense filled, had red herrings galore and I look forward to Amy Jordan's next book.
Thank you Net Gallery for this ARC, my review is voluntary.

The story is told over two timelines - 1994 and 2024. In 1994, Gardai Adrian Clancy and Julia Harte are called to attend an incident of a noise complaint at a house. What occurs next will send shockwaves through the lives of of Julia and her colleagues. 2024, Julia has retired to a small village in Cork, where she lives with her dog, Mutt and tries to find peace. However, in 2024, retired Detective Inspector Julia Harte is called by her old Chief Superintendent Des Riordan to help consult with a case that is very similar to one Julia, as a young Garda had been a part of in 1994. It was a gripping read and a page turner of a book, to the point, I couldn't put it down as I was invested in the characters and the plot. I hope there is a follow up as Julia must have more old cases to review in the present day!!!

Julia Harte is a retired guarda, now living in a fairly remote part of Ireland. When she gets a call from her former boss asking for her help, she has to return to Cork City and help track down a killer who is copycatting a killer who turned her life upside down.
The story flits between events of 1994 and 2024. The author teases the reader by holding back details of what had happened at first, trickling them out slowly. before the reader draws too many conclusions about what might have happened.
A nicely paced read

First book I have read from this author.. It had plenty of suspense to keep me guessing. Great characters. Enjoyed the style of writing.. All round great book. Look forward to the next one. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it

Great debut novel from Amy! I was second guessing throughout right to the very end! I loved the 2 time periods of the story. Great easy read. Fast paced and I look forward to what Amy brings us next!

I loved everything about this! It’s a dark psychological suspense/police procedural crime thriller just dripping with atmosphere and tension. Truly brilliant.

The Dark Hours is so addictive and so tightly plotted from start to finish. The dual timelines worked so seamlessly in piecing together Julia Harte’s life, her work, and how it all spirals out of control. All the characters we meet are so perfectly developed, with Julia definitely being one you’ll never forget. There were so many tense scenes where my heart was in my mouth, the description so vivid, every thought and feeling shared. It’s really cleverly written and I will not hesitate to pick up anything Amy writes after this! Tense, dark and unnerving.