Village in the Dark
Iris Yamashita
288 pages
Berkley
published February 13, 2024
About the book
Detective Cara Kennedy thought she’d lost her husband and son in an accident, but harrowing evidence has emerged that points to murder–and she will stop at nothing to find the truth in this riveting mystery from the author of City Under One Roof.
On a frigid February day, Anchorage Detective Cara Kennedy stands by the graves of her husband and son, watching as their caskets are raised from the earth. It feels sacrilegious, but she has no choice. Aaron and Dylan disappeared on a hike a year ago, their bones eventually found and buried. But shocking clues have emerged that foul play was involved, potentially connecting them to a string of other deaths and disappearances.
Somehow tied to the mystery is Mia Upash, who grew up in an isolated village called Unity, a community of women and children in hiding from abusive men. Mia never imagined the trouble she would find herself in when she left home to live in Man’s World. Although she remains haunted by the tragedy of what happened to the man and the boy in the woods, she has her own reasons for keeping quiet.
Aided by police officer Joe Barkowski and other residents of Point Mettier, Cara’s investigation will lead them on a dangerous path that puts their lives and the lives of everyone around them in mortal jeopardy.
My Review
I liked City Under One Roof, Cara Hunter book 1, but I loved this one. It can be read as a stand alone, but I think the reason I loved it so much is it followed a personal issue for Cara that was started in book 1.
This one has such a unique setting that drew me to the series in the first place. The Alaskan town’s only housing is in a high rise. While not any type of locked door, mystery. because as long as the weather permits, the residents are free to come and go as they please. But it is Alaska.
Cara is on leave from the Anchorage police department after an incident following her son and husbands’ deaths. So she has all the skills of a police officer, but isn’t working that capacity when in Point Mettier. She is on a personal mission. I really like Cara and her gutsy approach to her situation. Actually I like all the quirky inhabitants of this sleepy town. It’s a place you go to hide away and many of the residents are hiding from something. I loved getting to know these characters as the author paints each of them a rich history. They are unique and they add so much to the story.
The book is suspenseful from the onset and there were so many theories I had about the truth about Cara’s family. It’s complex and layered and kept me glued to the read. While I won’t spoil anything, I never suspected how this one would end up. I have no idea where the author would go if this series continues, but I really I hope I get the chance to find out.
Sophie Oda, Blaire Chandler and Aspen Vincent bring these quirky characters to life in the audiobook. Their voices really brought Point Mettier’s characters to life and fit with the characters they represented. I almost wished I didn’t have the ARC and could only listen to this one.
Thanks to Berkely Publishing and PRH Audio for my ARC and ALC.
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