‘The Darkness Within’ by Graeme Hampton is the third book in the series that features DI Matthew Denning and DS Molly Fisher. This is a series that can be read as a standalone but, believe me, by the time you have read this, the other two will be in your sights.

In this particular instalment there is a man found fighting for his life after being brutally beaten up. DI Denning and his team are on the case immediately. The victim is a man who was reported missing 20 years ago, according to his name…but the actual man in the hospital bed is not the missing man. Then an ex-copper, a star of the met back in the day is discovered in a manky flat with his throat cut and decomposed.
Denning and Fisher begin to investigate both cases and as they get deeper they find links between the two men that lead back to a wall of silence that hides deep and dark crimes. As they attempt to track a killer they find they are up against a psychopath who is willing to kill to keep the secrets exactly that…secrets. Will they be able to find the truth before they become victims themselves?

A fabulous thriller! Graeme Hampton as always manages to create a twisty, tense story. His characters and his writing have you turning the pages in anticipation of what will happen next. The team have a lot to deal with, red herrings, sly witnesses, coppers that aren’t exactly on the straight and narrow and to top it off they even have to handle the politicians that aren’t exactly top drawer. If you like your thrillers realistic and gritty here you are and my advice is…try it!

Thanks to Book On The Bright Side and Hera Books for the copy of the book for my review today.