Deep into the Dark: A Mystery

Written by P. J. Tracy

Narrated by Abby Craden

New York Times bestseller P. J. Tracy returns with Deep into the Dark, a brand new series set in LA and featuring up-and-coming LAPD Detective Margaret Nolan and murder suspect Sam Easton.

Sam Easton—a true survivor—is home from Afghanistan, trying to rebuild a life in his hometown of LA. Separated from his wife, bartending and therapy sessions are what occupy his days and nights. When friend and colleague Melody Traeger is beaten by her boyfriend, she turns to Sam for help. When the boyfriend turns up dead the next day, a hard case like Sam is the perfect suspect.

But LAPD Detective Margaret Nolan, whose brother recently died serving overseas, is sympathetic to Sam's troubles, and can't quite see him as a killer. She's more interested in the secrets Melody might be keeping and the developments in another murder case on the other side of town.

Set in an LA where real people live and work--not the superficial LA of Beverly Hills or the gritty underbelly of the city--Deep into the Dark features two really engaging, dynamic main characters and explores the nature of obsession, revenge, and grief.

P. J. Tracy is known for her "fast, fresh, and funny" characters (Harlan Coben) and her "sizzling" plots (People); the Monkeewrench series was her first, set in Minneapolis and co-written with her mother. Now with Deep into the Dark she's on her own—and it's a home run.

A Macmillan Audio production from Minotaur Books

• Language: English
• Publisher: Macmillan Audio
• Release date: Jan 12, 2021
• ISBN: 9781250790071

P. J. Tracy

P. J. Tracy is the pseudonym of Traci Lambrecht, bestselling and award winning author of the Monkeewrench series. Lambrecht and her mother, P. J., wrote eight novels together as P. J. Tracy before P. J. passed away in 2016. Lambrecht has since continued the Monkeewrench series solo. She spent most of her childhood painting and showing Arabian horses, and graduated with a Russian Studies major from St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota, where she also studied voice. She now lives outside Minneapolis.

Reviews for Deep into the Dark

[Mari Melting · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Fairly cliche characters and the killer was telegraphed very early.

[Darcia Helle · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Narration is excellent, but this was not a book for me at all.

The plot is too far-reaching, with the content including war-related PTSD, murders and the subsequent investigations, domestic abuse, divorce, premonitions, and stalking.

Sam’s PTSD is the most interesting and well developed issue, but the amount of focus on him takes away from the murder investigation, when we do finally get there. I would’ve enjoyed this story so much more had it been about Sam specifically, without the detectives and the serial killer.

We have lots of POV characters. Margaret Nolan, namesake of this new series, doesn’t stand out. Really, Sam is the only complex character here.

The plot feels convoluted and implausible.

I was about 60% of the way through this one, realized it was a chore to stay engaged, and that I just didn’t care. And so I gave up.

[Anne Stevens · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A very gripping novel, couldn't put it down so to speak. A must know what happened Ed to the main characters.