Based on the story blurbs, these books seem quite dark themed crime thrillers. I don't like dark themes, but I want to try one these books.
For reference –
What I consider dark but I was able to finish – the netflix movie "Luther: Fallen Sun"
What I consider too dark and couldn't finish – the book "Tomorrow and Tomorrow" by Tom Sweterlitsch, the netflix shows "Black Mirror"
by hbe_bme
1 Comment
It’s going to depend on what elements bother you more. I’ve read the entire Children’s House series, and there’s actually subplot developments in each book for continuing personal relationship drama. So that may or may not be something you’d want to read in order.
If you don’t really care about that and just want to try one of the cases, here’s what I’d advise about the story elements.
NB: the entire series has cases centred around past or present child abuse, due to one of the leads being a child psychologist working for social services and called in to consult for her insight into childhood trauma. So YMMV if you want to read them at all due to that, or instead try Yrsa Sigurðardóttir’s Thóra Guðmundsdóttir series, which are generally somewhat lighter and quite good.
1. _The Legacy_: medium-dark due to the murders being not exactly explicitly gory, but non-standard and elaborate means of death in such a way that it winds up being suspected as the work of a stereotypical psycho serial killer. Also, thematic elements of >!incest!< between adults.
2. _The Reckoning_: very dark. This story is rooted in the years-later aftermath of the >!rape!< of a very young child by a >!pedophile parent!< leading to death, and who IIRC also >!assaulted their own children!< who were the child’s peers and is also hinted at being the product of >!multi-generational occurrence!<, and explores the lingering impact on both the victim and perpetrator’s families and life trajectories.
3. _The Absolution_: not as dark. The victims are teenagers, and the theme is the effects of bullying and toxic peer pressure. Unless either of those are something particularly bothersome/triggering, then this is actually a fairly decent place to start. There aren’t any small children being assaulted or murdered, and IIRC there aren’t any adult sexual assaults either. That said, the humiliation and effects of bullying are portrayed as quite bad, in some detail, leading to attempted >!suicide!< and >!disfigurement!< for some of the bullied.
4. _Gallows Rock_: moderately dark. In part due to what turns out to have been the motive for the murder which is rooted in a >!gang rape!< of a vulnerable individual leading to >!suspected suicide!<, and some of the deaths are a bit gory. Probably second best starting place if these elements are less troubling than the teen victims and bullying in #3.
5. _The Doll_: fairly dark. It’s got a mysteriously disappearing and reappearing creepy doll leading to creepy deaths, and more deaths that are the ultimate result of trying to >!cover up a careless!< incident resulting in the >!negligent manslaughter!< of a young child. Also, a subplot thread involves a worker for children’s protective services being accused of >!assaulting the young charges in their care!<. But it’s a pretty good case that fits together in surprising ways, and it’s not super gory. It’s just that half the deaths are of non-adults, if that bothers you more than the other stuff.
6. _The Fallout_: fairly dark. The main death is rather gory, with missing body parts. The motive and culprit behind it all is also pretty messed up. And one of the suspects is kind of going insane from the stress following the >!death of their child!< which in turn feeds into some of the other plot. That said, it’s a fairly clever case.
Hope this helps!