Happy belated release!
Thanks to Mulholland Books for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
A MAP OF THE DARK – Karen Ellis (out now!)
This is a #CJSReads2018 selection 🙂
My Thoughts: 3.5/5 stars!
Not going to lie, this cover is what drew me to this book. I saw that it was a police procedural and a mystery thriller, so that was all I needed to know before diving in! A MAP OF THE DARK by Karen Ellis as an eerie atmosphere about it and I really enjoyed that, plus it’s book one of a new crime series!
“A girl, missing. A woman, searching. A killer, planning”
Elsa Myers is an FBI Agent that specializes in finding missing people. Her being assigned to a case of a child abduction couldn’t come at more inconvenient time. Her father is sick in the hospital and battling for his life. However, she cannot refuse the call to help find a teenage girl that has disappeared – the first few hours are the most critical. Trying to track down a killer and save Ruby will prove to be difficult for her, because she may have to come face-to-face with her dark past that she has tried so hard to repress.
I will say that I struggled with the first portion of this book. It was slower and some parts felt all over the place, but I was drawn in by the case. The case of finding Ruby was so intriguing and is what kept me reading! The second portion of the book really started to pick up the pace and pulled me in even more. Ellis created a great female lead – she’s a strong character but she has her flaws that make her feel more human. I really enjoyed the ending and felt that everything tied together nicely for the conclusion.
Overall, if you want to start a new crime series, then A MAP OF THE DARK would be a good one to pick up! If you don’t mind a slower build at the beginning, then you’ll enjoy this one – just know that it does begin to pick up towards the end. I definitely want to see more of Elsa Myers, so I’ll be keeping my eyes peeled for more.
Check back later for the collective thoughts from the #CJSReads trio!
–Jess
Jessicamap Reviews 
I’m glad you enjoyed it! I struggled through it myself and almost DNF’d it, but ended up chugging through it. It just wasn’t the right fit for me.
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I know what you mean. I struggled through the first part but I didn’t want to start the year off with a DNF. So I pushed through. I felt that the ending tied together nicely and made it worth it. Still torn though.
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