Darkside

A Novel

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In bleak midwinter, the people of Shipcott are shocked by the murder of an elderly woman in her bed. As snow cuts off the village, local policeman Jonas Holly is torn between catching a brutal killer and protecting his vulnerable wife, Lucy.

When the inquiry is commandeered by an abrasive senior detective, Jonas finds himself derided by his colleagues and ashamed to admit to Lucy that he’s been sidelined. It seems his first murder investigation may be over before it’s begun. But when he receives a series of increasingly sinister anonymous notes, Jonas is thrust back into the center of the case. Someone in the village is taunting him, blaming him for the tragedy. Someone thinks he’s not doing his job; someone seems to know every move he makes. And soon Jonas has to ask: Who’s hunting who?

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Book details:

Simon & Schuster |
304 pages |
ISBN 9781451612776 |
May 2011

$16.99 List Price

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Praise

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“Given the shallow pool of prospective victims and suspects, it takes real skill to write a plausible whodunit about an undetected serial killer running amok in an English village. . . . Set against a landscape that would tax... ”

– The New York Times Book Review

“Bauer joins such contemporary masters of psychological suspense as Ruth Rendell and Minette Walters with her twisted and tricky second novel . . . The shattering conclusion pulls no punches and will leave many readers stunned, even... ”

– Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Another riveting psychological thriller. . . . suffused with pitch-black atmosphere, Bauer’s novel keeps readers guessing until the deliciously unsettling conclusion. No sophomore slump here--fans of Ruth Rendell and Minette... ”

– Library Journal (starred review)

“Like Minette Walters, Bauer excels at depicting the psychology behind the crimes, and she’s not afraid to take some bold risks with her plotline. Melding the classic horror setting of a small, rural town with an atmosphere of... ”

– Booklist

“Genteel and suspenseful . . . a most promising career.”

– Kirkus Reviews

“Probably the most shocking ending you’ll read this year. Belinda Bauer is the most disturbing new talent around.”

– Val McDermid

“In her murky tale, Bauer plunges into the realm of the psyche, a brilliant twist . . . adding the final flourish to a nightmarish story where a young woman forfeits a bright future to the ravages of a particularly cruel disease, a... ”

– CurledUp.com

“Belinda Bauer won the CWA Gold Dagger for her first crime novel, Blacklands, and she’s produced a barnstorming follow-up with Darkside . . . Bold, mordant compassionate, Darkside confirms Bauer’s reputation as a... ”

– The Sunday Times (UK)

“Tense and imaginative.”

– Guardian (UK)

“Happily the dark horse is not a one-trick pony . . . [Darkside] is even more accomplished [than Blacklands]. . . . depicted with a wit and warmth that make the macabre bits seem all the more horrible.”

– The Daily Telegraph (London)

“Belinda Bauer’s Blacklands caused the hearts of hardened reviewers to flip a beat . . . Happily for the genre, Darkside shows she can do it again . . . Tension mounts with extraordinary yet credible narrative twists. As in... ”

– Independent (UK)

“She’s a thriller queen . . . hailed as the woman most likely to lead the fightback against the Scandinavian crime-wave . . . It’s an extraordinary piece of writing . . . with a stunning denouement . . . The result is... ”

– Sunday Times Culture Magazine (UK)

“Outstandingly good . . . An unusually gripping tale, with places and people vividly evoked and an unguessable . . . conclusion.”

– Literary Review (UK)

“Second novel syndrome may be a recognised condition but it is not something that affects Belinda Bauer. I would press [Darkside] one on anyone who loves Kate Atkinson, Bauer really is that good . . . Another cracking crime novel.”

– Alice O'Keefe, The Bookseller (UK)

“[Darkside] will appeal to everyone who loves the classic British mystery . . . . An enthralling read.”

– The Times (South Africa)

“A riveting psychological thriller which will have you guessing to the very end.”

– The Mercury (South Africa)

“Bauer perfectly captures the charm and potential creepiness of the rolling moors and deathly fogs and bogs.”

– Argus Weekend (South Africa)

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Read an Excerpt

THE SOUNDS OF THE HOSPITAL CAME BACK TO LUCY MUFFLED AND from far away. She became aware of a big hand holding hers—tough, dry, and warm.

Jonas, she thought with a twist of guilt.

Stiffly she moved her head and opened her eyes, expecting to read worry, relief—even anger—in his eyes.

Instead, for one crazy moment, she found she had been sucked through a tear in time, and that she was married to a small boy wearing a look of such terror on his face that she flinched and clutched at his hand as if he were the one who was falling.

“Jonas!”

Her throat burned and the word came out as...

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Book Reviews

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Reading Group Guide

This reading group guide for Darkside includes an introduction, discussion questions, ideas for enhancing your book club, and a Q&A with author Belinda Bauer. The suggested questions are intended to help your reading group find new and interesting angles and topics for your discussion. We hope that these ideas will enrich your conversation and increase your enjoyment of the book.

INTRODUCTION

A gripping novel of suspense, Darkside transports readers to a small English village where one police constable, Jonas Holly, is tasked with looking out for the welfare of the entire community. When a paralyzed woman is brutally murdered, and an outside police force led by an aggressive detective arrives in Shipcott, Jonas is plagued with internal doubts. The murders continue, and Jonas’s faith in his own abilities is severely strained. His only supporter is his wife, Lucy, who is victim to a disease that is laying waste to her body. When the town spirals into paranoia, Jonas must confront his own demons and the fears of the village, as he struggles to stop the violence and gain control over his life.

TOPICS & QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

1. Darkside is a dark, suspenseful novel with a tense atmosphere. Discuss some of the devices Bauer uses throughout the novel to increase the feeling of suspense for the reader and to gradually build up to the climactic scene.

2. The geography of t see more