Book Review: Then Came Darkness by D.H. Schleicher

Genre(s): Historical thriller

Content warning: This book contains some violent scenes, themes of abandonment, murder, and child abuse.

Samuel Kydd has a secret. Joshua Bloomfield knows what it is, has suffered for it, and wants it for his own. And he’s prepared to do almost anything to get it.

At first glance, I thought this book was going to be much darker than it was. It’s not horror, though the cover alludes to it, and it’s not really a mystery, either. This is one of the few cases where I had to rely on the Amazon categories to really figure out the genre (even after reading the book in its entirety). It’s listed as a historical thriller there, though I don’t feel it had the intensity I’d expect from a typical thriller, either. Unknown genre aside, I liked this book.

The story bounces between events in 1936-37 (“present” in terms of the story) and the past, as far back as 1919. The author did a great job of describing the settings and the mood of the time; the roaring ‘20s, the Great Depression, etc. The tone truly felt like it was from a bygone era. I liked that aspect of the book.

But I struggled with how the story was presented. It jumped between present and past frequently throughout parts one and two. Some chapters were labeled with a date, but not all of them were, which made it was a bit of work to keep track of when the chapter was occurring. Once I got into part three, the story was chronological, and it was much easier to follow from that point on.

Despite the format, I thought it was a good book with an intriguing story. There was enough mystery that it held my attention throughout, which was important (this book is very plot-driven; if you’re a reader who prefers character-driven stories, this book may not work for you.)

I typically like to mention a character or two in my reviews, but as this book focused so heavily on the plot, I don’t have much to say in that regard. The story focuses on several members of the Kydd family (Evelyn, the mother; Tyrus the youngest son; and less often Sally, the daughter), as well as Joshua Bloomfield. A few other characters have brief point of view sections, but those are minor. There was a bit of head-hopping, often within paragraphs, but for the most part it was done well.

I believe this book definitely has its audience, and the writer has some skill, but without a character to really connect with, it wasn’t as enjoyable for me personally. It is a good book, so if you like mystery/thriller stories driven by plot, I suggest you give it a try.

Author website: TheSchleicherSpin.com

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